Add another name to Konawaena’s ever-growing pitching arsenal.
Freshman Boaz Ayers took the ball on short notice Saturday and delivered four quality innings as the Wildcats went on the road to trip Keaau 6-2 in a BIIF baseball game.
Wildcats coach Adam Tabieros said he wasn’t surprised how Ayers, who pitched some during the junior varsity season, performed, saying, “We knew he was going to throw strikes.”
Ayers allowed only a run on two hits and walked two with two strikeouts, and Steven Texeira finished the final three innings, striking out three with five walks.
What has pleasantly surprised Tabieros is the way Konawaena’s pitching depth has emerged.
The Wildcats (7-3) won their third game in a row and Ayers gave Konawaena its fourth quality start in the past eight days, including two from sophomore Kolu Alani and one from Logan Canda. Canda a senior, also previously pitched well against Kamehameha, the league’s lone unbeaten.
“Our whole motto before the season was to pitch around the zone, pitch to contact and let our defense work,” Tabieros said. “That’s pretty much what has happened.”
Konawaena struck for three runs in the first inning off Cougars ace Keian Kanetani, getting an RBI single from Tevin Canda and a two-run hit from Alani – both came with two strikes.
“A lot of our batters had good two-strike approaches today,” Tabieros said.
Keaau’s Elgin Santos was hit by a pitch in the second and came around to score on a balk, but Konawaena extended its lead in the fifth on Tevin Canda’s two run double.
Jake Basque and Vonn Yamaguchi doubled in the seventh for an insurance run.
Tyler Kitaoka also had two hits for Konawaena, while Riley Costa and Kanetani had two apiece for Keaau (3-4).
Kanetani pitched a complete game and struck out six with two walks.
Konawaena moved two games ahead of Honokaa for the No. 2 seed and home-field advantage in the best-of-three BIIF Division II semifinals, when pitching becomes all the more important.
“We’re pretty excited,” Tabieros said, “because as a staff we’re confident in our pitching depth.”
Konawaena 300 020 1 – 6 8 1
Keaau 010 001 x – 2 4 1
Waiakea 18, Kealakehe 0: Shaun Kurosawa hit a home run and the Warriors eased to victory after scoring 13 runs in the first inning.
Nathan Minami (triple, single), Gehrig Octavio (double, single) and Makoa Andres (two singles) each finished with two hits for Waiakea (7-1).
Reese Mondina pitches two innings for Waiakea, allowing two hits with two strikeouts, and Khaden Victorino worked two spotless innings with four strikeouts.
Markus Degrate took the loss for the Waveriders (1-6).
Hilo 10, Honokaa 1: Joey Jarneski pitched five shutout innings with six strikeouts and added two hits at the plate at Wong Stadium as the Vikings extended their winning streak to three games.
Josiah Factora hit a two-run double in the first inning off Nainoa Falk and Austin Aina drove in two run for Hilo (6-2).
Jarneski allowed two hits and didn’t walk a batter.
Falk worked two innings for the Dragons (5-5) and allowed six runs. Caden Perreira relieved and struck out five in four innings, allowing two hits and walking four.
Paki Akau finished with two hits for Honokaa.
Hawaii Prep 14, Pahoa 5: Ka Makani won on the road to improve to 4-6.
The Daggers fell to 0-9.
Kamehameha at Kohala: The game was postponed by inclement weather and was rescheduled for 3 p.m. Tuesday.
