A pandemic, and solely a pandemic, lastly slowed Kamehameha baseball down, however the Warriors’ 4 seniors by no means actually let that get them down.
Salvatore Martino by no means considered it, Jonah Reich by no means frightened about it and Spencer Yoshizumi centered on the “brotherhood.”
Before the pandemic nixed two seasons, Kamehameha graduated 5 consecutive senior courses that left with 4 BIIF Division II titles to their identify. This group was completely happy sufficient to get a last one after Saturday’s 12-1 victory in opposition to Konawaena at UH-Hilo, capping a disjointed, compacted comeback season with the college’s ninth consecutive title.
“It feels good now,” Keahi Hisashima stated, “because missing out the best years was tough. Sometimes, you never thought it was going to come back.”
Martino took a star flip within the championship recreation, hanging out seven in 4 hitless innings and shrugging off a bout of wildness. Two hit batters and an error helped the Wildcats (4-3) rating an unearned run within the third, and one other hit batter loaded the bases with two outs. Martino dropped his head, and coach Andy Correa strolled to the mound.
“He just told me to settle down, not to overthrow the ball and stay straight,” Martino stated.
He obtained a known as third strike to get out of the jam, and within the backside of the inning he flared a two-out single to proper to attain Clemson Julian and provides Kamehameha (7-0) a 4-1 lead, ending with three hits and three runs scored.
Noah Palea, a freshman, put up two extra goose eggs for a Warriors’ bullpen that by no means allowed a run all season, hanging out the facet within the sixth after permitting the Wildcats their solely hit on Charlie Kuwada’s leadoff double.
Reich by no means obtained an opportunity to shut the sport out within the seventh. Kamehameha scored 5 runs within the fifth – Dylan Hanson, Hisashima and Martino singled to open the inning, Boston Matsu and Liwai Correa drew bases-loaded walks and singles by Yoshizumi and Justin Kubojiri scored runs – then Correa’s two-run double within the sixth ended the sport.
Hisashima and Matsu every had two hits as Kamehameha completed with 12, which was seven greater than Warriors pitchers allowed all season, a lot of it in opposition to overmatched D-II competitors.
“Hammers,” Reich stated of a employees that struck out greater than 70 batters in 41 innings.
His gamers may need been too younger to recollect, so Andy Correa reminded them that the one time Kamehameha stubbed its toe since transferring all the way down to D-II got here when BIIFs was held at UHH, a 2011 semifinal loss to Hawaii Prep.
“I let them know, last time we came to UHH, we didn’t go to states,” he stated.
And with that, Kamehameha will get an opportunity to play at dwelling within the state event for the primary time because it claimed its lone title in 2016. Konawaena additionally has a spot within the eight-team event, set for May 5-7 at Wong Stadium, and Correa appreciated the Wildcats’ battle.
“They aren’t scared of anybody,” Correa stated.
Taven Hiraishi pitched Konawaena to its eleventh look in 13 state D-II tournaments with a one-hit gem Wednesday at Honokaa within the semifinals, however Hiraishi wasn’t eligible to take the mound within the last as a result of his pitch depend had exceeded 80, Correa stated.
Trez Uemoto retired the facet so as within the first, however a stroll, a bloop single and an error opened the door to a three-run inning within the second. Matsu, the No. 9 hitter, stroked a run-scoring single, reaching in all 4 of his plate appearances, and successful batter made it 3-0. Uemoto labored 4 1/3 innings, permitting 4 walks with three strikeouts.
Correa credited his gamers and their dedication for sticking it with throughout the pandemic and staying in baseball form on their very own. Another problem got here early within the season when the teaching employees needed to get “creative” to simulate recreation conditions throughout a three-week layoff between video games.
That’s the place the “brotherhood” – Martino and Yoshizumi every used the time period – is available in.
“It’s a blessing being on this team,” Hisashima stated. “Our youthful guys, they’re enjoyable. It’s enjoyable having a final 12 months with folks I really take pleasure in being round.
“That’s what helps us come to practice.”
