Connor Zalewski got out of bases-loaded jams in the final two innings as No. 5-ranked Kalani pulled out an 8-3 win over Kaiser on Thursday in the quarterfinal round of the OIA baseball playoffs at Kahala Community Park.
With the win, Kalani (11-2) also secured one of the league’s six berths in the upcoming state tournament.
“It’s a big one, the first time we’ve got to this round and won,” Shannon Hirai said of his era as Kalani’s head coach. “This team has done a lot of firsts.”
The Falcons have not made the state tournament since 2007.
Kaiser, which reached the quarterfinals by ousting Aiea on Wednesday, plays in the consolation round today with a state berth on the line.
“We’re going to have to travel out there (to Mililani) and try our best,” Cougars coach Ryan Umemoto said. “We hit the ball well today. The boys tried hard.”
It was not easy at all for Kalani, which finished first in the East, even though Kaiser had already sent its ace, Kamalu Simeona, to the mound in the opening round. The Cougars tagged Zalewski, a 6-foot-3 senior, and had him a bit rattled at times. He struck out just two, walked four, uncorked one wild pitch and hit three batters.
“We’ve been taking a lot of BP (batting practice) cages and putting in reps,” Kaiser catcher Emmett Covello (2-for-4, triple, two RBIs) said. “Coming in on Sundays to hit the ball, and it’s working.”
And yet, Zalewski came through with runners in scoring position. Kaiser stranded 11 baserunners.
At the plate, Kalani got balance up and down the lineup, getting a 3-for-3, two-RBI day from catcher Bronson Matsumoto.
“I’ve been trying to hit the opposite way, step early and keep my hips closed,” he said.
Hirai was as happy about Matsumoto’s performance as anyone.
“He didn’t have a hit in the second round. He got out of his slump,” Hirai said.
The visiting Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Simeona was hit by a pitch with one out and then scored on a two-out single to center by Covello.
Kalani then began its streak of at least one run in each of the first five innings. Hunter Lau reached on an infield throwing error and scored on a double to right by Reece Kakugawa. Moments later, Matsumoto singled to left with two outs, plating Kakugawa for a 2-1 Kalani lead.
The Falcons added two more runs in the bottom of the second. Kohl Suehiro led off with a walk on fourth pitches, and Kyle Sasano walked with one out. With Suehiro at second, Sasano attempted a delayed steal, but Covello’s throw to third was wide and allowed Suehiro to score for a 3-1 lead.
After Lau walked, Jarryn Wee sent a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Sasano from third for a three-run Falcons lead.
Kaiser answered with two runs in the top of the third. Simeona walked and Kainoa Torres singled, and then both scored on Covello’s deep triple to center, cutting the lead to 5-3.
Kalani added a run in the bottom of the fourth when Matsumoto was hit by a pitch with two outs. Courtesy runner Zachary Wong later scored on a single to center by Suehiro to make it 6-3.
Kaiser used four pitchers, and Kalani kept chipping away. Three errors by the Cougars — they had five in all — contributed to Kalani’s two-run fifth inning. Kakugawa’s sacrifice bunt brought Lau home from third, and Matsumoto capped his big day with a single to right, with Wee racing home from second base for an 8-3 lead.
OIA DIVISION I BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
No. 5 Kalani 8, Kaiser 3
at Kahala Community Park
Kaiser (6-8)
102
000
0
—
3
7
5
Kalani (11-2)
221
120
x
—
8
8
0
Chase Asuncion, Jace Kaito (2), Justin Pa’a’aina (4), Antonio Omphroy (6) and Emmett Covello. Connor Zalewski and Bronson Matsumoto.
W- Zalewski. L- Asuncion.
Leading Hitters- Kais: Covello 2-4, 3B, 2 RBIs. Kaln: Hunter Lau 1-3, 2 runs, SB; Reece Kakugawa 1-2, 2 RBIs, run, BB; Matsumoto 3-3, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Payton Awaya 1-2, run, BB.
No. 2 Pearl City 13, Roosevelt 0, 5 inn.
The Chargers scored seven runs in the second inning en route to an easy win over the Rough Riders.
Four different Chargers scored at least two runs, led by Davin Kapuras, who was 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.
The Chargers play Kailua in today’s semifinals at Hans L’Orange Park.
The Rough Riders play Campbell in a consolation game.
at Pearl City
Roosevelt
000
00
–
0
2
3
Pearl City
373
0x
–
13
13
0
Matt Schewe, Chris Haida (2), Shayne Cazinha (3) and Kekoa Lima, Micah Watanabe (4). Trenton Darley, Torey Chun (4), Trestan Nakamura (5) and Kaleb Nishijo.
W- Nakamura. L- Schewe.
Leading Hitters- PC: Colby Hirano 3-4, 2 runs, RBI; Sam Prentice 2-4, 2 runs, RBI; Davin Kapuras 3-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI; Christian Onomura 2-2, 2 runs, RBI.
Waipahu 4, No. 7 Mililani 1
Kobie Russell was 2-for-4 with a run and the go-ahead RBI in the fifth inning as the Marauders upset the Trojans.
The Marauders take on Kalani in today’s semifinals at Hans L’Orange Park. The Trojans play Kaiser in the consolation round.
at Mililani
Waipahu
001
010
2
–
4
8
0
Mililani
010
000
0
–
1
7
1
Jaron Sugimoto and Cole Phillips. Justin Ogasawara, Damien Lung (7) and Hunter Kirihara.
W- Sugimoto. L- Ogasawara.
Leading Hitters- Waip: Kobie Russell 2-4, run, RBI; Michael Price 2-3. Mil: Blaine Demello 2-4.
No. 9 Kailua 10, Campbell 3
Noah Auld scored a run and had two RBIs to help the Surfriders advance past the Sabers.
Joey Cantillo picked up the win for Kailua, striking out six in a complete-game performance.
The three-time defending OIA champion Sabers play Roosevelt in the consolation round and need to win two games to return to the state tournament.
Campbell won the state championship last year.
at Kailua
Campbell
000
210
0
–
3
7
3
Kailua
300
043
x
–
10
8
0
Markus Ramos, Chad Samante (5), Dylan Florentin (6), Darien Robinson (7) and Bronson Burr. Joey Cantillo and Kila Thomas
W- Cantillo. L- Ramos.
Leading Hitters- Camp: Justin Fernandez 2-3, run, RBI; Burr 2-3, 2b. Kail: Dustin Imanaka 2-2, 3 runs, Noah Auld 2-3, run, 2 RBI, 2b; Cantillo 2-3, 2 RBI, 2b; Awa Beyers run, RBI, HR.
ILH DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
Damien 11, Hanalani 1, 5 inn.
Jayden Cabbab drove in four runs and scored two more and Kaimana Cameron added two runs and two RBIs as the Monarchs breezed past the Royals.
at Ala Wai Field
Damien
262
01
–
11
10
3
Hanalani
100
00
–
1
2
4
Grayson Bueno, Javin Cortez (5) and Milton Gainey. Aiden Koanui, Cyan Garma (2), Aaron Leong (4) and Reyn Romero
W- Bueno. L- Koanui.
Leading Hitters- Dam: Kaimana Cameron 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Jayden Cabbab 3-4, 2 runs, 4 RBI.
Pac-Five 2, St. Francis 0
Pac-Five’s Scott Wong allowed just one hit in a complete-game shutout, and struck out six as the Wolfpack beat the Saints.
at Ala Wai Field
Pac-Five
110
000
0
–
2
8
2
St. Francis
000
000
0
–
0
1
0
Scott Wong and Jared Miyasato. Ian Phillips and Jared Yara.
W- Wong. L- Phillips.
Leading Hitters- P5: Ryan Moritsugu 2-2; Matt Matsuda 2-3, run.
Also:
Mil Tournament
Baldwin 11, King Kekaulike 1
OIA DIVISION I EAST SOFTBALL
Castle 7, No. 10 Roosevelt 6
Rayla Keanu scored the winning run on an RBI single by Cybelle Murakami as the Knights edged the Rough Riders.
Moana Hillen was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs and two RBIs to lead Castle. Mari Foster was 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBI for Roosevelt.
at Castle
Roosevelt (8-4)
100
230
0
–
6
7
2
Castle (7-5)
010
032
1
–
7
11
0
Mari Foster and Haylie Uetaka. Kacie Lam and Moana Hillen.
W- Lam. L- Foster.
Leading Hitters- Roos: Maya Nakamura 2-3, RBI, HR; Foster 3-4, 2 HR, 4 RBI. Cast: Kailee Ishii 2-4, 2b, 2 runs; Hillen 3-4, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Lam 2-2.
No. 5 Kaiser 9, Kailua 4
Elyse Tsutsui was 2-for-4 with a run and two runs batted in, and Tiana Ching-Lake was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI as the Cougars rolled past the Surfriders.
at Kaiser
Kailua (8-4)
000
301
0
–
4
5
2
Kaiser (12-0)
001
305
x
–
9
9
1
Dyani Cummings and Denise Nagayama. Seli Aholelei and Tiana Ching-Lake.
W- Aholelei. L- Cummings.
Leading Hitters- Kail: Leilei Makua 3-4, 2 runs. Kais: Elyse Tsutsui 2-4, run, 2 RBI; Ching-Lake 3-3, 2 runs, RBI; Mana Torres 2 runs, 2 RBI, 3b.
Moanalua 27, McKinley 2, 4 inn.
Na Menehune exploded for 20 runs in the third inning to cruise to an easy win over the Tigers.
Taylor Takushi scored three runs and had six runs batted in, hitting a grand slam. Iyana Reed went 4-for-5 with four RBIs.
at Moanalua
McKinley (0-12)
002
0
–
2
1
9
Moanalua (5-7)
61(20)
x
–
27
14
4
P. Espinda, W. Payso (3), J. Takahashi (3) and M. McMillan, K. Costorio-Meyer (3). Shanelle Lum, Kyler Tsukada (4) and Raven Rosa-Lasco
W- Lum. L- Espinda.
Leading Hitters- McK: Payso 2 RBI. Moa: Lum 2-3, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Rheyl Arakawa-Lee 3 runs, RBI; Taylor Takushi 3 runs, 6 RBI, HR (grand slam); Iyana Reed 4-5, 3 runs, 4 RBI, 2b, HR; Raven Rosa-Lasco 3 runs, 3 RBI, 2b; Kylie Kawelo 2-4, 2 runs, 2 RBI; Makamae Kaleikini 4 runs; Genice Gabriel 2-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI, Briana Pagampao 3 runs.
OIA DIVISION I WEST SOFTBALL
No. 3 Mililani 5, Leilehua 2
The Trojans scored three runs in the second inning, then held off the Mules to earn the victory.
Brooke Yasuda had two runs batted in and a run scored to lead Mililani.
at Mililani
Leilehua (4-8)
002
000
0
–
2
5
3
Mililani (9-2)
032
000
x
–
5
5
1
Chastity Stalcup and Shea Tammarine. Aubree Kim and Markie Okamoto.
W- Kim. L- Stalcup.
Leading Hitters- Mil: Brooke Yasuda run, 2 RBI, 2b.
Also
Campbell 4, Kapolei 3
ILH
Junior Varsity
St. Francis 11, ‘Iolani 2
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