On Day 4, the magic ran out for Waiakea in Honolulu.
The defense wasn’t as sharp, the bunts weren’t as precise, the hitting wasn’t as opportunistic and the pitching ran out of gas.
The Warriors met a determined Maui team intent on ending a 35-year title drought, and the Sabers did just that with a 6-1 victory Saturday night for the HHSAA Division I baseball championship at Les Murakami Stadium in Honolulu.
The title game was the first matching Neighbor Island teams since Waiakea beat Baldwin in 2012 for what remains the Warriors’ last championship.
After falling short against a Valley Island team this time, BIIF runner-up Waiakea (17-3) gathered near first base to congratulate each other on a season well done.
Maui (14-5) also was looking for its fourth win in as many days at states and the Sabers got a big boost from workhorse Mikito Barkman, who pitched six-plus innings and collected three hits at the plate.
“Unbelievable,” Barkman said on the OC16 telecast. “I can’t believe it.”
The junior threw 35 pitches Friday in earning the win in a 6-4 victory against Campbell in the semifinals, and he came back a day later and threw 77 more for another win, leaving in the top of the seventh as Waiakea tried to mount a comeback.
Maui added what would turn out to be five key insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.
“These guys are awesome,” Sabers coach Chase Corniel said of his team. “They always put the pedal to the gas.”
Without the services of co-aces Makoa Andres and David Nakamura due to pitch count rules, Waiakea used four pitchers, starting with Jamieson Hirayama, who was seeing his first action on the mound in the tournament, and allowed an unearned run in the first when Kao Mindoro doubled.
Waiakea put its leadoff runner on in the first, second and fifth innings, but the Warriors couldn’t scratch across runs like they did the previous three days.
Junior Casey Yamauchi finished 2 for 3.
Cody Hirata came on to get final out of the second, and the sophomore sailed into the sixth before falling into trouble, starting with a hit batter. Maui connected for five of its nine hits in the contest. On an 0-2 pitch with the bases loaded and one out, Kaipo Paschoal singled through the right side for a 2-0 lead.
Jyrah Lalim hit a two-run double off of Devin Midel and Micah Jio ripped an RBI triple.
The Warriors rallied gamely in their last at-bat, almost bringing the tying run to the plate. Two errors and a single by Khaden Victorino brought in a run, but Waiakea left the bases loaded.
In four games, Anthony Benevides’ double back on Wednesday was the Warriors’ only extra base-hit of the tournament.
Waiakea will say goodbye to seniors Gehrig Octavio, Hirayama, Makoa Andres, Curren Inouye, Benevides and Nathan Minami.
