By MICAH LEWTER
Stephens Media
Makana Canda and Kilona Manzano made plays on offense and defense Friday to help Konawaena keeps its perfect record.
The duo hit RBI doubles and made key defensive stops, Jarrett Kitaoka pitched a complete game as Konawaena edged Honokaa 3-1 in Kealakekua.
Kitaoka scattered six hits over seven innings to collect the win for the Wildcats (5-0) in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II baseball game. He struck out three and walked six.
But Kitaoka was matched by a solid effort from Honokaa’s Lloyd Edwards. Edwards took the loss for Honokaa (3-3), but he pitched well. He gave up three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts in a six-inning effort.
The two pitchers were locked in twin shutouts until the fourth, when Manzano hit an RBI double to give the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.
Konawaena added two more in the fourth, including Royce Torres-Torioka’s sacrifice bunt on a squeeze play. Canda then hit his RBI double to extend the lead to 3-0.
The Dragons finally pushed a run across in the sixth, but Kitaoka was too strong, and the Dragons could not catch up.
But Kitaoka had some help. Manzano ended one inning by catching a foul ball in left field and throwing out a runner trying to advance on the foul out. In the seventh, Canda made a leaping catch at third base to rob a Honokaa batter of extra bases and apply the force out.
Honokaa 000 001 0— 1 6 1
Konawaena 000 120 x — 3 3 1
Hilo 10, Ka’u 0: Tyler Higa-Gonsalves and Randall Iha each had two hits at Wong Stdaium and Conrad Kauffman struck out three to pick up the win as the Vikings stopped a two-game losing streak.
Kauffman worked three innings and allowed a hit for Hilo (5-2). Jodd Carter pitched the final two innings and struck out three in a game that ended after 4 1/2 innings because of the league’s 10-run rule.
Kihei Serrao took the loss for the Trojans (1-6), finishing a strikeout. He had his team’s only hit.
Ka’u 000 00 — 0 1 3
Hilo 800 2x — 10 12 0
Kealakehe 11, Hawaii Prep 4: Austin Galigo struck out three over four innings and earned three hits at the plate as the Division I Waveriders rolled in Waimea.
Bricen Ferreira went 3-for-4 with four RBIs for Kealakehe (3-3).
For the Division II Ka Makani (3-3), Holden Pattengill suffered the loss while striking out four batters. Jayse Bannister went 2-for-4 with three RBIs, and Kama DeSilva went 2-for-3.
Kealakehe 130 202 3 — 11 11 1
HPA 002 000 2 — 4 8 7
Pahoa at Kamehameha: The game was rained out and the teams will try to play again Monday.
