Rysen Ross struck out 11 in a four-hit shutout, and Stone Miyao finished with three hits, including two run-scoring singles, and Waiakea beat Kealakehe 11-0 in a six-inning TKO at Wong Stadium in its final tuneup ahead of the BIIF Division I baseball playoffs.
The Warriors (11-1) got hits from nine different batters and scored in each inning. Khaden Victorino was 2 for 3 with a two-run single and two runs scored, Devon Hirata doubled among his two hits and Brandon Nakayama doubled and drove in two runs.
In the best-of-three semifinals, Waiakea will face Keaau (3-9), with Game 1 on tap for Friday at the Warriors’ field.
Ross threw 58 of his 76 pitches for strikes and didn’t walk a batter.
The Waveriders’ Trent Kepano started and worked 3 2/3 innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and five walks with a strikeout.
Kealakehe (4-8) plays Hilo (9-3) in the semifinals, opening at home on Thursday.
Hilo 12, Keaau 2: Ryan Cabreira hit an RBI triple, Sabu Kahee and Dayson Urbanozo-Moses drove in runs with doubles, and Maui Ahuna doubled and scored as half of the Vikings’ eight hits at Wong Stadium went for extra bases.
The Cougars committed two of their six errors in the fourth as Hilo scored six times, taking advantage of two walks and two hit batters, to set up the five-inning TKO.
Three Vikings pitchers combined on a six-hitter. Ocean Gabonia struck out three in two hitless innings, Kahee allowed four hits – Ricky Rapoza hit a double and scored on Edward Oguma’s single in the third – in two innings and Micah Freeman gave up a run and two hits in the fifth.
Oguma collected two hits for Keaau and losing pitcher Dante Medeiros hit an RBI single.
In 3 1/3 innings, Medeiros allowed eight hits and 12 runs, seven earned, with four walks and two strikeouts.
The second-seeded Viks open the playoffs in Kailua-Kona because Kealakehe can’t play at home on Friday and Saturday because it’s hosting the BIIF softball championship series. Game 2 of the Hilo-Kealakehe series is Friday at Walter Victor complex and the Vikings, if necessary, would also host a Game 3.
