Jordan Buster, Braden Balocan pitch no hitters
By Lanaly Cabalo – The Garden Island
No. 1 Kaua‘i 10, Kohala 0
Top-ranked Kaua‘i High School shut out Kohala High School yesterday, 10-0, in the quarterfinals of the inaugural Division II Wally Yonamine Foundation Baseball State Championships at the Central O‘ahu Regional Park.
Kohala failed to get any hits off of starting pitcher Jordan Buster or relief pitcher Braden Balocan. Despite Buster’s success on the mound, head coach Hank Ibia pulled him to save him in the event the Red Raiders make it to the final, tomorrow. Kohala’s Michael Oshita was handed the loss.
With the win, Ibia said the team is very confident going into today’s match up against Moloka‘i High School. Ibia said he intends to start Trent Allianic today.
Aaron Soong went 3-for-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Rysan Sakamoto went 3-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and three runs scored and Schyler Arakaki also went 3-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs.
This is the first year baseball has been split into Division I and II. Moloka‘i has won the state championships twice before when it was just Division I. Its first win came in 1999 which was also one of the years Kaua‘i finished fourth.
Kaua‘i also finished fourth in 1996 and 1983 and third place in 1990.
Moloka‘i advanced to today’s semifinals by defeating fourth-ranked Honoka‘a High School 13-3. Scott Rapanot led the Farmers with a triple and an RBI.
Kaden Tabil was the winning pitcher.
In other Division II action, Kahuku High School defeated Radford High School, 4-2.
R.J. Van Ness was the winning pitcher.
St. Anthony School beat Maryknoll School, 9-1 with Michael Johns getting the win.
For St. Anthony, Aronne Santos went 1-for-2 with a double and two runs scored. Jordan Kahalekai-Bermoy was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Johns was 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored.
For Maryknoll, Zac Fujimoto was 1-for-3 with a triple and a run scored.
Kalaheo High School defeated Waipahu High School, 3-1.
Richard Preza-Haynes was the winning pitcher. Tryton Gante went 2-for-4 with a double for the Marauders and Ignatius MacKenzie was 1-for-4 with a double.
For the Mustangs, Aaron Fernandex finished 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI.
The semifinal game will start at 3:30 p.m, today, at CORP’s field 1.
The inaugural Division II state tournament will conclude tomorrow at Les Murakami Stadium at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa.
The game time for the final will be at 4 p.m.
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com
