KEALAKEKUA — With a long stride to the plate, a flip of the wrist and a few wind-aided errors, Hawaii Preparatory Academy managed to tie its BIIF Division II semifinal series with Konawaena on Friday at one game apiece.
Ka Makani’s Finn Richmond was nearly unhittable on the hill and three costly errors by the Wildcats led to three unearned runs in a 5-0 shutout by Hawaii Prep.
The two teams will meet today at 1 p.m. for the final game in the best-of-three series to determine who will earn a state tournament berth and get a chance to play for the league title.
“I’ll give you the classic cliché, ‘we are playing it one game at a time,” said Ka Makani head coach Jordan Hayslip, never one to show his cards. “Right now, we get to play for one more day.”
Home field advantage has been a factor in every game between Hawaii Prep and Konawaena this season. Both teams are 2-0 on their home field this season. The deciding game will be played in Kealakekua, giving the Wildcats the edge going in.
“We are going to have to get over that home field advantage,” Hayslip said. “We will have our work cut out for us.”
However, before Game 3 was ever on the radar, Hawaii Prep had survive Game 2. Both starting pitcher came out firing.
The Wildcats started their ace, Kolu Alani, who kept the ball on the ground, forcing five of the first six Ka Makani batters to ground out.
Richmond struggled with his control early on, walking two of the first three batters he faced, but he settled down to get out of the jam.
In the bottom of the third inning, Hawaii Prep picked up the first run of the game when Daniel Groves doubled to right and later scored on a double by Jonah Hurney on a liner to center.
Ka Makani tacked on another run in the fourth and three in the fifth as any ball hit into the air provided an adventure for the Wildcat fielder unfortunate enough to go after it in the extremely windy conditions.
“This wind, but I can’t really make excuses because Hawaii Prep put the ball into play and that is what we couldn’t do,” said Konawaena head coach Adam Tabieros. “We went away from what we have been practicing. Our mentality for this game was not the same as it was for the first game.”
While, Hawaii Prep was building a lead, Richmond kept dealing. Konawaena picked up only one hit off the Ka Makani hurler, which did not come until the sixth inning when Alani broke up the no-hitter with a one-out, line drive single to center.
“I was just trying to throw strikes because I knew if we lost this game our season would be over,” Richmond said. “My curve was on today and I was pitching to contact.”
Alani’s hit put two runners on, and with two outs, Stevie Texeira hit a rope up the middle that looked good for at least two RBIs. However, Hurney made a diving snag just beyond the second base bag to end the frame.
Richmond put the Wildcats down in order in the seventh to seal the victory. In the complete game performance, he struck out three and walked two.
“It was fun to give the ball to a senior with our season on the line and have him deliver,” Hayslip said. “It was great for him and great for a team.”
Alani took the loss, allowing five runs, only two earned off five hits. In his 4 2/3 innings of work, he struck out four and walked two. Bronson Rivera threw the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing one hit.
Hurney did most of the damage at the plate for Ka Makani. He went 2-for-4 with two RBI’s and run scored. Groves also picked up two hits.
