KEAAU – Kamehameha’s Brandyn Lee-Lehano wasn’t necessarily trying to send a message to Konawaena, but a seemingly meaningless game was from it for the right-hander.
On his senior day, Lee-Lehano delivered a two-hit shutout and the Warriors earned a 10-0 TKO victory against the Wildcats, a team they will see again if the seeds hold in the BIIF Division II baseball playoffs.
“I definitely wanted to go out with a bang,” said Lee-Lehano, who struck out for and walked two in six innings.
The Warriors (13-1) got started right away against pitchers AJ Allred, who pitched on inning, and Boaz Ayers (two).
Kamehameha used a hit batter a walk and Makana Aiona’s run-scoring single to score three times in the first inning, Daylen Calicdan hit a two-run double in the second inning and DallasJ Duarte hit a two-run single in the third inning.
“We still try to come here and compete,” Lee-Lehano said. “Every game is important to us. We’re not trying to give away any games.”
With an automatic berth to the HHSAA tournament in tow, the Warriors will host Hawaii Prep (7-7) in a best-of-three semifinal series that starts Friday.
Heading in to its home semifinal series against Honokaa, Konawaena coach Adam Tabieros treated the finale as a tuneup, using four pitchers. Andrew Udac worked two scoreless innings, but Kamehameha scored three runs in the sixth against Logan Canda to end the game.
Duarte finished it with a single, going 3 for 4 with two runs scored and three RBIs. Aiona went 2 for 3.
Pitching figures to take center stage in the series between the second-seeded Wildcats (9-5) and Dragons (7-6). Konawaena swept the season series, defeating two of Honokaa’s top pitchers, Caden Perreira and Jonathan Charbonneau.
Kealakehe splits DH with Keaau
Pulama Louis cracked a three-run homer and pitched the final 2 2/3 innings as the Waveriders salvaged a split of their road doubleheader.
In the opener, Keian Kanetani pitched seven solid innings as the Cougars (4-8) secured the third seed in the Division I playoffs. Keaau starts a best-of-three semifinal series Friday at Hilo, while the Waveriders (2-10) do the same at Waiakea.
Kealakehe ended a 10-game losing streak in the second game, as Louis batted 2 for 3 with four RBIs, and Markus Degrate added two hits for the Waveriders.
Hawaii Prep 11, Pahoa 1
Kanai Gaughen batted 2 for 2 with two RBIs and Finn Richmond and Sheldon Aribal each went 2 for 3 to lead Ka Makani (7-7).
Aribal pitched four innings of one-run ball for the win. Tristan Sienkiewicz finished with a scoreless frame.
Julian Beimler went the distance in the loss for the Daggers (0-13).
Kelton Conortan batted 2 for 2 for Pahoa, which had five hits.
