Kealakehe bounced back from Thursday’s walk-off loss to Konawaena with a 16-6, six inning run-rule victory Friday afternoon over Hawaii Preparatory Academy on the second day of the Keaau preseason baseball tournament hosted at Konawaena’s Gabby Inaba Field.
“After a hard loss I think the guys were hungry after that. They got a taste of competition and they came out and picked up where they left off,” Kealakehe head coach Josh Hansen said. “Our bats came alive and that was the biggest difference. Our pitchers were throwing strikes early in the game, and it is a lot easier to play the game when you are ahead on the scoreboard.”
The Waveriders jumped out to a five run lead in bottom of the first inning, but it was HPA struck first with a Koa Ellis triple and scored on a wild pitch.
After Keoki Meyers walked and Duke Tamaye reached on an error, Markus Degrate doubled to left, scoring both runners. DeGrate moved to third and scored on a pair of wild pitches by HPA’s Cyrus Inglis. Pohaku Dela Cruz reached on a single, advanced to third, and scored on a catcher throwing error. Hunter Cuaresma singled to right and scored on a Bryton Lewi triple. Lewi advanced home on a Dustin Waiau double to center.
HPA cut the deficit to three in the top of the third when DJ Sekiya doubled to left and Kanai Gaughen hit a two-run homer down the left field line.
Up 7-3 entering the bottom of the fourth inning, Kealakehe put the game out of reach with six runs. Meyers led off the inning with a single to left as was brought home when Tamaye reached on a fielding error. Degrate singled home Tamaye and scored on a sac fly by Makana KaJuau. Lewi tripled to right after a bloop single by Cuaresma, scoring two runs. Lewi later scored on a wild pitch for a 13-3 lead.
Picking up multiple hits for the Waveriders were Cruz (three), Cuaresma (three) and DeGrate (two). Sekiya had two hits for HPA. Gaughen went 1-for-1 with a homer and two walks.
Degrate picked up the victory, though he was forced to leave the hill in the middle innings due to an injury. He continued to play at third. Inglis took the loss.
HPA 102 030 —6
Keal 601 63x —16
• Konawaena 15, Keaau 5: Tyler Kitaoka hit a home run and a double, and Stevie Texiera also homered as Konawaena picked up its second win at the tournament.
Phillip Grace collected an RBI single and Koa Basque doubled in a run for Konawaena.
Anson Kauwe picked up an RBI single for Keaau. Cougars starter Riley Costa left the game in the second inning.
Kolu Alani allowed only one run in four innings for the Wildcats.
Keaau 001 040 —5
Kona 462 102 —15
