BIIF baseball: Konawaena’s Miyahira-Young nearly no hits Keaau

It’s Keaau’s preseason baseball tournament, but it’s played on Konawaena’s home field.

On Friday, both belonged to the Wildcats’ Jordan Miyahira-Young.

Miyahira-Young flirted with a no-hitter, tossing a one-hit shutout as Konawaena beat Keaau 9-0 at Gabby Inaba Field in Kealakekua.

“He was his typical last-year self,” coach Dave Distel said. “A Greg Maddux-like guy who has pitches darting around the strike zone.”

The senior right-hander took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before he allowed Anson Kauwe’s soft double, which dropped about a glove-length in front of center fielder Race Gustafson with one out.

Miyahira-Young walked a batter and struck out three during his 66-pitch gem.

“Keaau never really hit the ball that hard,” Distel said.

He said the Cougars played right into Miyahira-Young’s hands by being aggressive at the plate.

“He got guys out on the first pitch by changing speeds and location,” Distel said. “What we teach our pitchers is to have a relationship with the strike zone. We basically preach to throw around the plate.”

Konawaena busted out its bats at the plate for the second consecutive day, collecting 15 hits.

Miyahira-Young finished with three singles and two RBIs, while catcher Evyn Yamaguchi collected a double and triple among his three hits, finishing with three RBIs. Zane Gray had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Yamaguchi is batting .545 on the preseason.

Keian Kanetani took the loss for the Cougars, yielding 10 hits, nine runs — only three earned — with two strikeouts and two walks.

Kealakehe 15, Hawaii Prep 3: Pohaku Dela Cruz worked four solid innings as the Waveriders earned a five-inning TKO victory.

“His best start of the (preseason),” Waveriders coach Josh Hansen said. “He’s probably our No. 2 right now, battling for that top spot.”

Zaynan Sanchez was 3 for 4, while Shaden Lewi was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and turned in a solid effort defensively at shortstop.