Kealakehe left-handed ace Makana Kaluau locked horns in an unlikely pitchers’ duel with two of Hilo’s power arms that couldn’t be dented.
The crafty Waverider senior pitched the game of his life: six innings of one-run ball on two hits and three walks with three strikeouts on Friday at Wong Stadium.
But Donald Saltiban Jr. and Nainoa Kane-Yates combined on a three-hitter, and the Vikings prevailed with a 1-0 win over the Waveriders in Game 1 of the BIIF Division I semifinal series.
Hilo (9-3), the defending BIIF champion, plays at Kealakehe (5-7) at 3 p.m. Saturday.
“I’m happy that our boys pulled together and kept battling,” Kaluau said. “This game showed how hard we’ve worked. I know I can’t throw it by their hitters, so I had to pitch smart.”
The Waveriders lost to the Vikings during the regular season, 8-2 and 11-1 in a six-inning TKO game.
“Hilo and Waiakea are the top dogs, and we were trying to steal one,” Kealakehe coach Kallen Hiraishi said. “We told the boys to believe in yourselves. Makana is a senior, and we gave him the ball and told him it’s your game to pitch. He had a couple of mechanics go wrong, but he settled down and battled.”
The only run Kaluau gave up came in the second inning when Saltiban doubled and scored on Ocean Gabonia’s two-out double.
Meanwhile, Saltiban and Kane-Yates were strikeout artists and strong-armed their way out trouble.
The best example was Saltiban’s work in the second when Kawana Soares singled and later reached third base. The senior right-hander struck out the next three hitters.
“I was hitting my spots,” Saltiban said. “If runners are on, you have to adjust to the moment and execute.”
Saltiban went five innings, allowed three hits and two walks and whiffed seven for the win. Kane-Yates pitched walked one in two hitless innings and struck out three for the save.
Kealakehe center fielder Tupu Toafili batted 2 for 3, the only one to pair hits.
The Waveriders are really short on depth. The visitors had just two reserves. They started the season with 16, but attrition has shaved the roster to 11 players.
Hiraishi knows the deal that Kealakehe’s popular sport is football. Hiraishi is a successful PONY coach. The first-year coach is trying to raise the level of baseball in West Hawaii.
“After ages 13-14, there’s no league in Kona,” he said. “We really appreciate Kaha Wong for letting us play in his wood bat league. It’s good for us, and it helps Hilo and Waiakea get more competitive at the state tournament.”
In the second year of the mandatory national pitch count rules, a deep pitching staff is the most important asset.
Kaluau threw 90 pitches, so he’s required to rest three days. Saltiban had 77 pitches, so he can’t pitch for two days, and Kane-Yates threw 24 so he’s eligible to pitch on Saturday.
Hilo’s pitching staff is in good shape and armed with a young talent in Kane-Yates, a sophomore right-hander.
Kane-Yates is the nephew of former UH-Hilo standout Tyler Yates, who pitched five years in the majors, and Kirby Yates, who’s a relief pitcher with the San Diego Padres.
It made sense that his dad, Spencer Yates, was a catcher. The brothers played at Kauai High, and someone needed to catch the two fireballers.
His uncles worked on his mechanics, and Kane-Yates got a good lesson from watching Kaluau.
“He’s got a sneaky fastball and a good curveball and a disguised changeup,” said Kane-Yates, who went 0 for 1 with a walk as the designated hitter. “He kept the hitters off-balanced.
“When I go to Kauai and throw, my uncle Kirby teaches me more tips and works on my form. My uncle Tyler hasn’t taught me how to throw a slider. But I’m all right with the pitches I have. I throw a fastball, curve, and change. I like pitching and outsmarting hitters.”
Kealakehe 000 000 0 — 0 3 2
Hilo 010 00 x — 1 2 1
Waiakea 10, Keaau 0: David Nakamura threw his first no-hitter, a five-inning TKO win with two walks and four strikeouts and batted 2 for 3 with three RBIs at the Warriors field.
“I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my defense,” he said. “I have confidence in their gloves behind me, which doesn’t make me worry about throwing a ball over the plate and pitching to contact. Definitely hats off to them.”
Casey Yamauchi batted 2 for 2 while Trayden Tamiya and Safea Villaruz-Mauai had two RBIs each for the Warriors (12-0).
Ricky Rapoza went the distance in the loss for the Cougars (1-11), who host Game 2 at 1 p.m. on Saturday that will be played at Kamehameha.
Keaau 000 00 — 0 0 0
Waiakea 324 1x — 10 10 2
