By Kevin Jakahi
Hawaii Tribune-herald
HILO – Hilo didn’t need to hit or pitch all that well to snap its two-game losing streak against Konawaena, which kept tripping over its own shoes.
The Vikings capitalized on a dozen walks, and numerous base-running miscues to defeat the Wildcats 12-6 in a BIIF game Saturday at Wong Stadium.
The last play of the game summed up Konawaena’s woes when a Wildcat jogged to second base and was thrown out to end the game.
In another example of the Wildcats (1-2) beating themselves, the Vikings (1-2) scored six runs in the second inning on no hits.
“We take what comes out way,” Hilo coach Tony De Sa said. “We ran the bases well, and had good at-bats, worked deep counts, and our discipline at the plate was a lot better.”
The Wildcats walked eight, including seven straight, in that nightmare inning.
“Our pitching was not there,” said first-year Konawaena coach Adam Tabieros. “We’re not deep in pitching. We need to work on that big-time.
“We had mental errors with the base running. We have to work on the mental aspect, be baseball smart. The talent is there. We had momentum going then we’d get runners thrown out and those were rally killers.”
Josh Breitbarth and Austin Aina had RBI walks. Two runs came home on wild pitches. A throwing error produced another run.
Senior third baseman Russell Ragual, one of the slower Vikings, caught the Wildcats napping and stole home. (The Viks went 5 for 5 on steal attempts.)
Kona starter Kolu Alani recorded one out, walked one and gave up four runs (three unearned) and two hits in the loss.
Logan Canda followed and pitched an inning, walked seven, allowed six runs (one unearned), and no hits, and struck out one.
Konawaena ace Shelton Grace, who went the distance in a 7-0 loss to Kamehameha on Wednesday, pitched 4 2/3 innings, walked four, and surrendered two runs and three hits, and whiffed four.
He threw three scoreless innings before Riley Macanas and Chase Costa-Ishii clubbed RBI doubles in the sixth.
As the old saying goes, there’s no defense for walks. Out of Konawaena’s 12 free passes, six turned into runs — the difference in the score.
The Vikings had their strike-throwing issues, too. They walked nine, but Kona left eight on base; Hilo stranded 11 on base.
“We’ve got work to do as far as throwing strikes,” De Sa said. “We’ve got to throw strikes.”
Junior right-hander Josiah Factora pitched five innings, gave up five runs (one unearned) on six hits and six walks, and whiffed three in the win.
Nick Anthony went 1 1/3 innings and allowed a run on two walks, and was helped out in the seventh by the Wildcats.
He hit a batter, then walked another before a Wildcat took too big of a secondary lead, and Hilo catcher Breitbarth gunned him out at second.
Anthony walked another then was yanked for Kaiden Cox, who walked the first batter he faced — for three free passes in a row — then allowed a fielder’s choice RBI before Bello caught a second Wildcat napping while jogging to second base.
Konawaena third baseman Skye Suzuki had a perfect day, 2 for 2 with two runs scored, two walks and two RBIs. Grace batted 2 for 3.
Anthony went 2 for 3, the only one to pair hits for the Vikings, who were limited to five hits.
Kona 200 201 1 — 6 6 3
Hilo 460 002 x — 12 5 1
Keaau 5, Honokaa 0
Keian Kanetani pitched a two-hit shutout with nine strikeouts as the host Cougars improved to 3-0.
Keaau broke through for four runs in the second against Dragons starter Nainoa Falk, getting RBI singles from Anson Kauwe and Riley Costa and a two-single by Kanetani.
Kanetani, who didn’t walk a batter, and Kauwe were each 2 for 3, and Dathan Wong Chong drove in a run in the fifth with a hit.
Falk went three innings for Honokaa (0-2), and allowed seven hits, four runs and two walks with two strikeouts.
Honokaa 000 000 0 – 0 2 2
Keaau 040 010 x – 5 8 1
Waiakea 13, Kohala 0
Caleb Freitas-Fields struck out five in a four-hitter and drove in three runs as the Warriors won in Kapaau.
Freitas-Fields (2 for 3) doubled in a run during a five-run second inning, and Ryder Oshiro ripped a two-run triple as Waiakea (2-0) scored five more runs in the fourth.
Trevor Shimokusu was 2 for 2 with two runs scored and an RBI, and Nathan Minami also scored twice and drove in a run.
Coming off a sterling victory against Hilo, the Cowboys could never get on track against Freitas-Fields, who walked two in the five-inning TKO.
Kamaalea Emeliano-Solomon took the loss, yielding four runs on two hits and three walks in 1 2/3 innings.
Waiakea 050 53 – 13 10 2
Kohala 000 00–0 4 2
Kealakehe 27, Pahoa 2
Pohaku Dela Cruz pitched three innings to get the victory and Marcus Degrate collected three hits as the Waveriders spoiled the Daggers’ home opener with a 15-run fourth inning.
Pahoa coach Scott Salfen said Pahoa starter Tryson Kenui was victimized by errors in allowing seven runs, four earned, in two innings. He walked one and struck out one.
“Degrate hits the ball extremely well, and we just made a lot of errors,” Salfen said.
Dela Cruz struck out four and yielded two runs on three hits and a walk before Degrate pitched a scoreless fourth for Kealakehe (1-1).
Kenui had an RBI single for Pahoa (1-2).
Kealakehe 345 (15) – 27
Pahoa 200 0 – 2
