KEAAU – Makoa Andres took the mound amid a hint of uncertainty.
Waiakea’s ace wasn’t just making his first start of 2017, but he’s also working his way back from a shoulder injury to his throwing arm that he suffered during the football season.
Physically, the senior right-hander looked his vintage shelf in fashioning a two-hit shutout Saturday, and it was his mental makeup that drew the best review after the Warriors’ 4-0 victory against Konawaena in BIIF baseball game played on Keaau’s field.
“First start of the year, we were wondering where his stamina would be at,” Waiakea coach Rory Inouye said. “He made his pitches and kept the ball low and he got out of (jams).
“We were happy with what we saw.”
Wildcats coach Adam Tabieros said the result was the classic case where you tip your cap to the opposing pitcher and move on.
“He’s always tough to get to, but I thought he looked more like a pitcher rather than a flame-thrower,” he said. “He used his fastball wisely, and peppered in his offspeed and his changeup. But he gassed up when he wanted to.”
Andres, the reigning BIIF Division I Player of the Year, struck out six and kept the Wildcats (1-1) hitless until Stevie Texeira singled with one out in the fifth.
“I did all right,” said Andres, who walked two and hit two batters. “I could have done better.
“I had to go through physical therapy. Not 100 percent yet, just trying to get back into shape.”
Waiakea (2-0) turned three double plays in a near-flawless performances in the field and a Wildcat was caught trying to steal, giving Andres a chance to finish the game by facing the minimum 21 hitters.
Down to its final out, Konawaena loaded the bases on an error, a walk and a hit batter to bring the tying runner to the plate, but Andres ended the game by inducing a comebacker.
“I just like battling against hitters,” he said. “Just relax and do my job and my defense has my back.”
Andres also had the loudest hit of the well-pitched game, stinging Konawaena starter Kolu Alani for an RBI double off the fence in left field in the sixth inning.
Casey Yamauchi’s double to lead off the first was the only other extra base-hit of the game. Yamauchi scored on a two-out error, Nathan Minami hit a sacrifice fly in the third, and Jacob Igawa, Anthony Benevides and David Nakamura (2 for 3) strung together consecutive hits in the fourth to make it 3-0.
“That’s the kind of baseball we have to play,” Inouye said. “We work on hard line drives, hard ground balls, advance runners. If somebody gets a hold of one, great.”
Alani hung tough for six innings, allowing two earned runs, and eight hits with a walk and a strikeout.
“He didn’t have his best stuff,” Tabieros said. “We’ve seen him have better, but he dug down deep.
“He might have wanted to take a couple of pitches back to make it a closer game, but you have to tip your cap to Makoa.”
The game was moved from Waiakea’s campus field because the school was hosting a Parks and Recreation track meet.
Konawaena 000 000 0 – 0 2 3
Waiakea 101 101 x – 4 8 1
