Konawaena’s regular season included an uncharacteristic number of losses and a potential win that turned into a tie because of darkness.
But the Wildcats rallied for a victory Friday to remain in contention to host the Big Island Interscholastic Federation semifinals. Tyler Kitaoka’s two-out single in the top of the seventh brought in the go-ahead run, and Konawaena beat Kohala 7-6 in Kapaau to clinch a Division II playoff spot.
Skye Suzuki led off the seventh with a single, stole second and scored his second run of the game on Kitaoka’s line drive up the middle.
Logan Canda pitched 1 2/3 innings and allowed two hits with a walk and a strikeout to get the victory. The Wildcats took advantage of wildness by Kohala starter Joey Salvador to score five runs in the first.
“The boys battled back hard, but Konawaena came to play,” Kohala coach Pono Nakamura said. “Konawaena locked the game down in the seventh with defense.”
The Wildcats (3-5-1) will match up again with the Cowboys (3-4) at BIIFs, and the site will be determined with how Kohala fares in its final two home games. It can gain the No. 2 seed with a win against either Kealakehe on Wednesday or Kamehameha on April 11.
Konawaena’s victory clinched an automatic HHSAA berth for the Warriors.
Kainalu Emeliano-Solomon was 3 for 3 with two doubles and four RBIs, and Truce Yangson delivered a single that brought in two runs as Kohala scored three times in the sixth to tie the game.
Losing pitcher Steven Medeiros worked the final 6 2/3 innings, yielding seven hits and two runs with two walks and two strikeouts.
In a no-decision, Shelton Grace walked nine and struck out one for Konawaena in 5 1/3 innings, and he drove in a run at the plate.
Konawaena 510 000 1 – 7 7 2
Kohala 102 003 0 – 6 6 2
Keaau 10, Pahoa 2: Riley Costa stroked a two-run double as the Cougars’ first nine batters reached on hits in the home half of the first, and Justin Quesada pitched six innings as Keaau closed the regular season 6-3.
The Cougars amassed 15 hits. Costa finished with three hits and three RBIs and Quesada was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and two RBIs, including a run-scoring double. Keian Kanetani, Byron Cachola, Erik Arnold and Derek Kalani also compiled two hits apiece.
In six innings, Quesada allowed four hits and two runs with three walks and four strikeouts.
Starter Tryson Kenui didn’t get an out for the Daggers (1-6). Lava Benn and Ibrahim Aguiar had RBI singles for Pahoa in the fourth.
Pahoa o00 200 0 – 2 5 6
Keaau 710 020 x – 10 15 2
