HONOLULU – The Maui Interscholastic League regular season champion Maui Sabers eliminated KIF title-holder Kapaa Warriors from further state baseball tournament play with a 2-1 consolation game victory Thursday morning at Les Murakami Stadium. Saber leadoff Chad Fernandez drew an
HONOLULU – The Maui Interscholastic League regular season champion Maui Sabers eliminated KIF title-holder Kapaa Warriors from further state baseball tournament play with a 2-1 consolation game victory Thursday morning at Les Murakami Stadium.
Saber leadoff Chad Fernandez drew an opening walk off Warrior hurler Kai Lopez, advanced on a throwing error and scored on a Kapena Mathias ground-rule double for an early 1-0 advantage.
Kapa’a tied the contest in the top of the fourth as Kaili Panui drove a one-out Vance Otake offering through the infield and raced to third on a wild pitch that rolled to the backstop. Dustin Mundon followed with a ringing double into left to drive in Panui with the Warriors only score.
Maui jumped back into the lead for good in the bottom half of the frame as Allen Castro was plunked and moved into scoring position on an ensuing walk to pinch hitter Myles Suyama. Both runners were advanced on a Lyle Fujimori sac bunt and Manu Kaina lifted a sacrifice fly to center to plate Castro with what proved to be the winning run.
Jarrett Agcaoili moved from left field to the mound in relief of Otake in the top of the fifth and limited Kapa’a to a Mundon single over the last three innings.
Otake picked up the win and gave up an earned run on 4 hits over four innings while striking out 4 Warrior batters. Agcaoili was credited with the save for his three innings of work on the hill.
Kai Lopez pitched well enough to win most ball games but the Warriors were unable to put together a big inning off the two Maui hurlers even though they out-hit the Valley Isle representatives 5-4.
Centerfielder Kapena Mathias led the victors with a pair of doubles and an RBI to help the Sabers advance to the Saturday consolation final.
Outfielders Dustin Mundon (double, single, stolen base, RBI) and Kaili Panui (2-3, stolen base, run scored) led the way for Kapa’a, who fell to a final record of 8 wins and 8 losses to close out their prep baseball season. Tyler Wakuta laced a single to left in the third inning for the only other Warrior base hit.
R H E
Kapaa 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 – 1 5 2
Maui 1 0 0 1 0 0 X – 2 4 3 Kapa’a eliminated from tourney play with 2-1 loss to Maui
