HONOLULU — Unlike a day ago, Kamehameha-Hawaii didn’t hit the cover off the ball, but dented it pretty good and scored enough runs, and junior left-hander Kobi Candaroma took care of the rest on Thursday.
HONOLULU — Unlike a day ago, Kamehameha-Hawaii didn’t hit the cover off the ball, but dented it pretty good and scored enough runs, and junior left-hander Kobi Candaroma took care of the rest on Thursday.
Behind a pair of big innings and Candaroma’s four-hitter, the No. 2 seed Warriors trounced No. 3 Waianae 12-2 in the semifinals of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state baseball tournament at Les Murakami Stadium.
In the other semifinal, No. 1 Maryknoll defeated Kauai 12-3.
Two-time Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Kamehameha (14-1-1) plays Maryknoll (17-3) in the championship at 4 p.m. Friday. The game will be televised live on OC16, Channel 12.
In a consolation game at Hans L’Orange Field, Hawaii Prep beat Nanakuli 7-2.
HPA (11-6) plays Molokai (11-1) for fifth place at 8:30 a.m. Friday at Les Murakami Stadium.
In the quarterfinals on Wednesday at Hans L’Orange Field, the Warriors pulverized Nanakuli 28-5. Makoa Rosario crushed a three-run homer to spark the 19-hit offensive charge, adding to an impressive fireworks show.
Over 10 innings in two games, the Warriors have scored 40 runs and piled up 27 hits. The offense is humming like a high-powered chainsaw. And coach Andy Correa pointed to a simple reason for the production.
“We’ve been patient all year. We try to be patient and work counts,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of upperclassmen and they understand what we want to get done out there. We waited for the pitchers to throw strikes, and we hit strikes. We were fortunate.”
The Warriors, who lost to Maryknoll 14-0 last year for the state title, start seven seniors: center fielder Chay Toson, left fielder Matt Chun, second baseman Jordan Hirae, third base Micah Carter, first baseman Paka Davis, right fielder Alika Young and Rosario at catcher.
Each contributed against the Seasiders, the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion. Toson went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Chun was 0 for 2, but was on base three times, hiking his on-base percentage. Rosario was 1 for 3 with two RBIs. Hirae was 0 for 1 with an RBI, but on base three times.
“It’s about staying aggressive and waiting for our pitches to hit,” Rosario said. “After all that adrenaline in the first inning, we relaxed and started rolling. We really fed off everybody’s energy.”
The bottom of the order was effective, too, flipping over the lineup, extending Waianae’s pitchers, and putting more scoring carrots on the table. Carter, the No. 7 hitter, was 1 for 3. Davis was 0 for 2, but on base twice. Young, the No. 9 batter, was 1 for 2, but scored twice.
Equally invaluable, the youngster Warriors were in hitting grooves.
Sophomore shortstop Daylen Calicdan had the brightest day. He was 2 for 3 with four RBIs, drilling a two-run single in the fourth, and the final run with a ground ball for an error in the fifth with one out.
Candaroma is the other underclassmen, and the junior bats for himself in the No. 5 spot. He went 1 for 3 with three RBIs, cranking a two-run double in the fourth, and a sacrifice fly.
In his other job, Candaroma was tough on the mound after he allowed two runs in the first. He kept the ball down, and didn’t let the Seasiders get a clean swing to send any flyballs into the jet stream blowing out to right field.
“I had jitters in the beginning of the game, and couldn’t adjust to the mound, but my team calmed me down and told me to pound the strike zone,” he said. “I just focused on me and Makoa. After I gave up that one hit to right center (Darien Domingo’s RBI triple in the first), I kept working to keep everything down.
“The first and second innings my fastball, curveball and changeup were horrible. But I adjusted on the mound and everything started working.”
Besides the first inning, Candaroma’s only other moment of unrest was the third with the bases loaded. But he nimbly escaped with a groundout. It more than helped that Waianae’s right-handed heavy lineup didn’t employ the strategy of opposite-field hitting.
In five innings, Candaroma allowed two runs on four hits, and three walks, and struck out three. Not that it matters much, but he could have had a shutout if he weren’t late covering first base on a potential double play ball in the first.
His offense more than picked up the slack.
Searider senior starter Kekoa Kaluhiokalani Jr., who featured a firm 86-mph fastball, gave up six runs and took the loss in 1 1/3 innings. He couldn’t find his release point, and walked one and hit four batters.
Tavita Lalau, a sophomore right-hander, pitched 1 1/3 innings and surrendered five runs. Kaleo Chun, another sophomore, tossed 1 2/3 innings of one-unearned run relief.
In a six-run second inning, Kamehameha sent 11 hitters to the plate, and benefited from four hits, one walk and two hit by pitches.
An inning later, the Warriors sent nine batters to the plate, and capitalized on two hits, two walks, one hit by pitch and one error.
After three innings, the lopsided score was 11-2, one run away from another five-inning TKO victory.
More than the stockpile of hits, Correa appreciated how his team’s experience and mindset came into play.
“We talked in the morning about emotions and dealing with setbacks. We gave up two runs in the first, but took it well,” he said. “We have a lot of guys who can hit deep in the count and that helps. They have the confidence to do that.
“Chay had a headache in the first inning (against Nanakuli). He should be ready for the championship. Kobi did well and saved everybody for Friday. We should be in good shape.”
After being runner-up in 2010 and last season, there’s a bit of unfinished business for the Warriors.
“It feels good to win, but it’s a team effort,” Candaroma said. “Our saying is, ‘One team. One dream.’ We’re not done yet.”
Waianae 200 00 — 2 4 2
Kamehameha 065 01 — 12 8 2
Hawaii Prep 7, Nanakuli: 2 Mike Nakahara collected three hits and three RBIs to back winning pitcher DJ Sekiya, who allowed only one hit.
After being shut out in the quarterfinals, BIIF runner-up Ka Makani connected for 11 hits.
Koa Ellis tripled among his three hits and scored three runs, and Cyrus Inglis and Li’i Purdy each finished with two hits. Ian Rice drove in two runs.
Nanakuli 000 020 0 —2 1 6
Hawaii Prep 101 212 x —7 11 3
Division I
Kaiser 8, Waiakea 4: The Cougars scored in every inning after the first to end the Warriors’ season.
Sophomore Caleb Freitas-Fields got the start and took the loss, allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
BIIF champion Waiakea (13-3) was hurt by four errors.
Chase Komatsu hit a two-run single in the first inning for the Warriors, and Matt Camacho was 2 for 4 with a triple.
Waiakea 400 000 0— 4 5 4
Kaiser 031 211 x— 8 8 4
Hawaii Prep 7, Nanakuli 2: Mike Nakahara collected three hits and three RBIs to back winning pitcher DJ Sekiya, who allowed only one hit.
After being shut out in the quarterfinals, BIIF runner-up Ka Makani connected for 11 hits.
Koa Ellis tripled among his three hits and scored three runs, and Cyrus Inglis and Li’i Purdy each finished with two hits. Ian Rice drove in two runs.
Nanakuli 000 020 0 —2 1 6
Hawaii Prep 101 212 x —7 11 3
Division I
Kaiser 8, Waiakea 4: The Cougars scored in every inning after the first to end the Warriors’ season.
Sophomore Caleb Freitas-Fields got the start and took the loss, allowing six runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks with six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
BIIF champion Waiakea (13-3) was hurt by four errors.
Chase Komatsu hit a two-run single in the first inning for the Warriors, and Matt Camacho was 2 for 4 with a triple.
Waiakea 400 000 0— 4 5 4
Kaiser 031 211 x— 8 8 4