HONOLULU — The Kauai High School Red Raiders were one inning away from elimination before mounting a brief comeback. Ultimately, it was too little, too late as the top-ranked defending Division II champions of Maryknoll beat Kauai 12-3 on Thursday
HONOLULU — The Kauai High School Red Raiders were one inning away from elimination before mounting a brief comeback. Ultimately, it was too little, too late as the top-ranked defending Division II champions of Maryknoll beat Kauai 12-3 on Thursday at Les Murakami Stadium.
Maryknoll’s starting pitcher Chase Uyema and the Spartan defense held the Red Raiders scoreless and to just two hits in the first four innings. Down by 10 runs by the top of the fifth inning, Kauai (9-3 KIF, 1-1 HHSAA) faced the possibility of an early state tournament exit due to the 10-run mercy rule.
“I told them, ‘we have got to do something here or we’re going home,” said Kauai’s first-year varsity head coach Greg Killeen. “They came out and played hard. I’m proud of them.”
With one out, junior John Dumlao came up to the plate and got hit by a pitch. With a runner on base, it was up to his team to get him around.
“I did my job,” Dumlao said. “That’s pretty much what started the rally.”
All Dumlao could think about was getting to home plate.
“We weren’t going home 10 to nothing. We’re going to battle this out,” he said.
An out later, Pono Bukoski singled to center. Kanoa Iwasaki followed that with a single to the left, scoring Dumlao.
“The whole time I was at the plate, I was thinking, ‘just relax, no pressure,” Iwasaki said. “I just wanted to keep the same mentality that I’ve been keeping all year long: Look for that one pitch. That one pitch came on time.”
Iwasaki’s RBI kept Kauai in the game to play another inning. In the bottom of the fifth, the Red Raider defense held the Spartans to no runs and one hit, holding the score to 10-1.
In the top of the sixth, Kauai took advantage of a pitching change when Maryknoll’s Justin Oshio took the mound. Kauai’s Micah Layosa singled to center, Tyler Manibog hit into a fielder’s choice, sending Layosa to the dugout, then Nick Vallatini got hit by a pitch. With runners on first and second, Dumlao doubled to score Manibog. Later in the inning, Keala Iwasaki flied out to center and Bukoski singled to short, scoring Vallatini, before the rally faltered.
Dumlao finished 1-for-2, with one RBI and a run scored. Kanoa Iwasaki and Shane Ogata both finished 2-for-4, and Bukoski was 2-for-3 and an RBI.
Maryknoll picked up two more runs at the bottom of the sixth, bringing their lead to 12-3.
It was the third and fourth innings that put Kauai into trouble. Maryknoll plated six runs off five hits in the third, and then added another three runs in the fourth before Kauai’s comeback in the fifth.
Once Dumlao got on base in the fifth, Maryknoll head coach Randy Yamashiro gave his Spartans a heads up.
“I reminded them that they (Kauai) are here for a reason. We cannot take them lightly,” Yamashiro said. “We have to step it up.”
Uyema was credited with the win, having pitched five innings, giving up five hits and a run.
No. 1 Maryknoll (15-3 ILH, 2-0 HHSAA) now advances to its third state title appearance. Maryknoll won its first title in 2009 and its second in 2013. The Spartans will face the No. 2 Warriors of Kamehemeha Schools Hawaii (14-1-1) of the Big Island in what will be a rematch of last year’s state championship game.
Kauai will play No. 3 Waianae (13-2) in the tournament’s third-place game at 11 a.m. at Les Murakami Stadium.
The Red Raiders beat No. 4 Molokai 8-0 Wednesday.
