Hawaii tribune-herald
Lower seeds won games at two Big Island Interscholastic Federation baseball playoff series Friday, and Konawaena had to rally to keep Kohala from doing the same.
But Kamehameha’s semifinal went largely as expected. Daylen Calicdan homered and combined to drive in seven runs, and the Warriors swept Hawaii Prep, winning 9-4 and 15-1 in Keaau.
Seeking its fourth consecutive Division II title, the Warriors (10-1) will host the Wildcats (5-5-1) in a best-of-three championship series that begins with a doubleheader at Kamehameha on Thursday.
Tied 1-1 in Game 2, the Warriors put away Ka Makani (3-8) with a seven-run second inning in which Calicdan (2 for 4) cleared the bases with a double.
Kobi Candaroma hit a two-run double as Kamehameha tacked on six more runs in the fourth, and the senior worked three smooth innings on the mound, allowing only an unearned run and three hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
DallasJ Duarte finished with two hits and two RBIs and pitched a scoreless fifth after Jaisten Cabatbat worked the fourth.
DJ Sekiya took the loss for HPA, allowing eight runs, six earned, on four hits and four walks in 1 1/3 innings. Kanai Gaughen was 2 for 2 as part of a four-hit day.
Calicdan homered with two men aboard in the first inning of Game 1 off Cyrus Inglis and finished 3 for 3.
In five innings pitched, Malu Peralta surrendered an RBI triple to Jonah Hurney in gaining the win. Peralta struck out five and walked four, giving up four hits and four runs, two earned, before Calicdan pitched the final two innings.
Inglis also lasted five and was charged with 13 hits and nine runs, seven earned, with five walks and four strikeouts.
Duarte and Makani Aiona each doubled and amassed three of Kamehameha’s 14 hits, Kegan Miura was 2 for 3 and Candaroma drove in two runs with a single.
Hurney and Gaughen each had two hits and two RBIs.
Game 1
HPA 002 020 0 – 4 5 3
Kamehameha 321 120 x – 9 14 2
Game 2
Kamehameha 171 60 – 15 10 2
HPA 100 0x – 1 5 6