Konawaena squared off with Kealakehe at Gabby Inaba Field on the first day of the Keaau preseason baseball tournament on Thursday. Konawaena lost a three run lead in the sixth inning but managed to push three runs across the plate in the bottom of the seventh for a 7-6 comeback victory.
The Wildcats struck first when they pushed across a run in the bottom of the opening frame. Shelton Grace reached on a pop-up that was misplayed and took second on a passed ball. He scored on a Logan Canda line drive down the right field line to put Konawaena up by one.
Pitchers dominated the next two innings as Canda battled Kealakehe ace Pohaku Dela Cruz.
The Waveriders managed to tie the game in the top of the fourth inning by taking advantage of a momentary control issue by Canda and a lapse in defensive execution.
Keoki Meyers led off the inning with a single. After a sacrifice bunt, Canda walked the next two batters, loading the bases with one out. The Konawaena pitcher nearly got out of the jam when he struck out Duke Tamaye and he forced Hunter Cuaresma to hit a grounder to second for what should have been an easy third out. However, the second baseman misplayed the ball and Meyers scored.
Konawaena was able to limit the damage when Marcus Degrate, who took third on the grounder, was caught in a rundown and tagged out trying to return to the base.
The Wildcats regained the momentum in the bottom of the fourth when they loaded the bases with two outs. Phillip Grace reached first and stole second, and Skye Suzuki beat out an infield single on a grounder to short. Dela Cruz began to struggle on the mound, running into a little control issue of his own, walking Anthony Ward to load the bases and then Vohn Yamaguchi to give Konawaena the lead as Grace trotted home.
With the bases still full, Tyler Kitaoka hit a bullet down the left field line that just missed the third baseman’s glove for a two-RBI single. Suzuki and Ward scored to put the Wildcats up, 4-1.
The Waveriders fought back in the top of the sixth off new Konawaena pitcher Kulu Alani. After Louie Garcia reached second, he scored on a double down the left field line by Degrate. A single to center off the bat of Dela Cruz put runners on the corners with no outs, and forced the Wildcats to make a pitching change.
Shelton Grace took the hill and forced a soft grounder to third that was misplayed, allowing the batter to reach safely and Degrate to score. With one out, Dela Cruz scored from third on a wild pitch to tie the game. Makana Kaluau then sent a shot down the left field line, scoring Tamaye, and Kealakehe was on top, 5-4. The Waveriders put up an insurance run on a Tehvyn Lewis infield single.
In the bottom of the sixth, Cruz allowed the Konawaena leadoff man to reach, but the runner would get stranded at third.
Down to their final at-bat, Konaweana began its comeback when Canda beat out an infield single with one out. However, he was injured diving into the game and limped off the field. He was replaced by pinch runner Andrew Udac. Phillip Grace followed with a single to left and with two outs, Kekey Katayama reached on an error by the shortstop that would have ended the game. Suzuki stepped to the plate and sent a shot off the left field fence for a double. All three runners on base scored, giving the Wildcats the victory.
Shelton Grace threw the final two innings for Konawaena and picked up the win. Dela Cruz got the loss, despite pitching a complete game.
Picking up multiple hits for the Wildcats were Suzuki (three) and Canda (two). For the Waveriders, Dela Cruz had two hits and walked twice.
Kealakehe 0 0 0 1 0 5 0 —6
Konawaena 1 0 0 3 0 0 3 —7
Keaau 9, Hawaii Prep 5
Byron Cachola had a pair of two-RBI doubles in back-to-back innings to lead Keaau to a 9-5 victory over Hawaii Preparatory Academy.
Down 3-2 heading into the sixth inning, the Cougars loaded the bases with no outs. Cachola stepped into the batters box and sent a line drive double into the left-center field gap, scoring Nick Deremer and Dathan Wong Chong. Keaau went on to score two more runs in the inning to take a commanding 7-3 advantage.
In the top of the seventh, Cachola added two more insurance runs when he sent a double to left, scoring Deremer and Chong.
Keaau opened the scoring in the top of the first when Derek Kalani scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Kelan Konetani. HPA tied the game in the bottom of the inning. Leadoff hitter Koa Ellis hit a shot to left-center that cleared the fence for a solo home run.
After 1-2-3 innings by Cougar pitcher Justin Quesada and Ka Makani pitcher DJ Sekiya, both teams pushed runs across the plate in the third inning. In the top half of the inning, Keaau’s Keian Kanelani reached first on a slow roller and a throwing error by the third baseman. Anson Kauwe scored on the play after reaching base on a single and stealing second.
Ka Makani tied the game in the bottom of the third. After two runners reached base, Sekiya doubled off the left field fence and Ellis trotted home.
HPA took a one run lead in the fifth off an error, setting up the final two innings for Keaau. Ka Makani added two runs in the bottom of the seventh off a 2-run home run by Kanai Gaughen, but it would not be enough to overcome the deficit.
Picking up multiple hits for Keaau were Cachola (three) and Deremer (two). Ellis and Sekiya led HPA with two hits apiece.
Quesada threw five innings and earned the win for the Cougars. Sekiya took the loss, also working five.
Keaau 1 0 1 0 0 5 2 —9
HPA 1 0 1 0 1 0 2 —5