Those keeping score while Kamehameha’s baseball team has been at bat this season have become accustom to writing “K.”
That hasn’t stopped the Warriors from picking up Ws.
A pair of Hilo wood bat team pitchers combined to strike out 12 batters Saturday, but Kamehameha was resourceful in rallying for a 4-3 victory. In the bottom of the sixth of the high school game, Kaohu Kawelu drew a walk, and an error and wild pitch led to two runs.
The Warriors also beat Hawaii Prep 4-1 in a BIIF game behind Hanalei Warren’s four-hitter at Kameeiamoku Field.
Tyler Halemanu and Kellen Turner each struck out six, walked two and allowed two unearned runs in three innings of work for Hilo.
Higen Hatayama hit a two-run triple as Hilo scored three times in the second. Hatayama was the only player in the game to have multiple hits.
Salvatore Martino worked 5 2/3 innings for the Warriors and allowed six hits before giving way to Jonah Reich, who struck out two and got four outs in earning the win.
Kawelu singled in the first, moved to third on Warren’s hit and scored on a passed ball. Boston Matus brought home a run with a hit in the third to cut Hilo’s deficit to 3-2.
Against Ka Makani, Keahi Hisashima hit two-run double to back Warren, who struck out six and didn’t walk a batter.
HPA took the lead in the second when Braeden Samura led off with a double to left and scored on Iki Lincoln single to center. Warren retired the final 10 batters he faced, striking out the side in the seventh. The senior was 2 for 3 at the plate, scoring the Warriors’ first run on Reich’s hit in the fourth. An inning later, a two-base error, a sac bunt and Kawelu’s sacrifice fly produced the go-ahead run.
Samura pitched six inning for HPA, allowing six hits and a walk with three strikeouts.
Earlier this season, HPA’s Nate Heymann combined to strike out 23 batters in two games against the Warriors, who are 3-0-1 against HPA.
Volleyball
In a matchup last Thursday at Old Mill Fieldhouse in Keaau that would have been worthy of a BIIF Division II boys semifinal — or better – during “normal” times, HPA outlasted Christian Liberty 20-25, 25-13, 25-22, 25-27, 16-14.
The Canefire’s Josh Rushton posted 29 kills and five blocks, according to stats kept the home team’s statistics.
For the week, Rushton went for 64 kills on .343 hitting, with 13 aces and seven blocks in matches against Pahoa, Parker and HPA.
Editor’s note: This story has been modified to correct the spelling of Higen Hatayama’s first name.
