The Kaua‘i Red Raiders fell to the Maryknoll Spartans, 3-2, in the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division I Championship baseball game on Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium. After a back and forth contest, Maryknoll scored the game-winning run in
The Kaua‘i Red Raiders fell to the Maryknoll Spartans, 3-2, in the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division I Championship baseball game on Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium.
After a back and forth contest, Maryknoll scored the game-winning run in dramatic fashion as shortstop Jason Arakaki singled through the right side of the infield to bring home Tyler Todd with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Maryknoll’s late rally began with two outs as Trevor Saiki and David Nishiki each struck out to start the inning. Todd then singled, followed by a Craig Shoji single up the middle. Arakaki then ended the contest when his base hit that gave Todd just enough time to beat the throw from right field.
The Red Raiders were off to a good start when they plated a run in the top of the first inning following right-fielder Dustin Prem’s leadoff double. He crossed the plate on Jordan Leanio’s RBI groundout.
However, Maryknoll came right back to even the contest. Kyle Hirata singled to bring Arakaki home and tie the game at 1-1. Kaua‘i starting pitcher Leanio worked out of trouble to keep the game knotted up after one.
Neither team put a runner on in the second or third inning and the Red Raiders were once again threatening in the top of the fourth.
With two outs and nobody on base, third-baseman Dalston Miyasoto singled up the middle. First-baseman Travis Koga then singled. Miyasoto, however, was thrown out at third base trying to advance on an error by the shortstop to end the inning.
Maryknoll tried to seize the momentum in the bottom of the fourth as Hirata led off with a single. Second-baseman Gavin Oyadomari then walked to put runners on first and second with no outs.
Koga relieved Leanio on the mound and Leanio took over first-base duties.
After a sacrifice bunt put runners on second and third with one out, Nishiki put down another bunt with the runners in motion. The squeeze worked and Maryknoll took the 2-1 lead.
Kaua‘i may remember the top of the fifth inning as its best chance to break the game open. Catcher Lanan Rice-Kashima was hit by a pitch to open the frame. After a strikeout, left-fielder Taran Tani singled on an 0-2 pitch. With two on, Prem hit a high fly ball to right field that bounced on the warning track and went over the fence for a ground-rule double, scoring pinch-runner Matthew Ebueng.
It was most likely a break for Maryknoll that the ball left the park since it would probably have plated two runs. So the contest stood at 2-2 with men on second and third with one out. Shortstop Kaylen Wakumoto then grounded out to third base, stalling the runners.
After a Leanio walk loaded the bases, Sakamoto popped out to second base to end the inning.
Kaua‘i did not threaten in the top of the sixth, but did save themselves from further damage in the bottom of the frame. With one out and Nathan Choy on third base for Maryknoll, Oyadomari hit a fly ball to left field. Tani made the catch and threw out Choy trying to tag up at home to end the inning.
However, Kaua‘i again went quietly in the seventh before surrendering the game-winner in the bottom half.
The loss puts Kaua‘i’s final record at 11-4-1 on the season.
The team had five hits on the day, two from Prem.
Leanio went three innings, giving up one earned run on three hits. Koga pitched 3.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out three Maryknoll hitters.
Koga, Leanio, Miyasoto and Rice-Kashima made the All-Tournament team.
