WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Micah Layosa allowed no runs and no hits in his three innings on the mound, and Cal Koga finished with two doubles to lead the Kaua‘i Protect Our Nation’s Youth All-Stars to a 6-0 win over Scottsdale,
WATSONVILLE, Calif. — Micah Layosa allowed no runs and no hits in his three innings on the mound, and Cal Koga finished with two doubles to lead the Kaua‘i Protect Our Nation’s Youth All-Stars to a 6-0 win over Scottsdale, Ariz. Sunday afternoon in Watsonville, Calif.
Playing in the PONY West Zone tournament, Kaua‘i was relegated to the loser’s bracket against Arizona after dropping 4-1 to Long Beach Saturday.
Patrick Keamoi-Strickland suffered the loss for Kaua‘i against Long Beach, working six innings while giving up two runs and five hits with three strikeouts and a balk.
Koga came in to close for one inning, giving up two runs on four hits with one strikeout.
Long Beach out hit Kaua‘i, with four runs on nine hits. Kaua‘i’s only run came on a single that scored John Dumlao.
Mound responsibilities was shared by Layosa, Tyler Toyofuku and Douglas Miyasato against Arizona, with Layosa getting the win on his three-inning performance. Toyofuku came in for two innings, giving up two hits with a strikeout and Miyasato closed, allowing a hit on two strikeouts.
Koga’s bat led the Kaua‘i lumberyard, which came alive with six hits against the four mustered by Arizona, Koga getting a pair of two-baggers and scored twice.
Layosa, finishing the day with two RBI, whacked into a double, Shigematsu singled along with Kai Tomimoto and Sam Nakata. Shane Ogata singled and scored once in the win.
Kaua‘i struck early, notching four runs in the first two innings by capitalizing off the Arizona mound and added two more runs, one apiece in the sixth and seventh frames, to clinch the game.
With the win, Kaua‘i looked at a double-header Monday starting with a matchup against Santa Cruz. A win against Santa Cruz would send Kaua‘i up against Campbell, Calif.
The winner of the Campbell, Calif. game, be it Kaua‘i or Santa Cruz, will face Long Beach in the first championship match.
See Wednesday’s edition of The Garden Island for the results of Monday’s games.
Bellingham Post 7, Washington, Cache Valley, Utah, Scottsdale, Ariz. and Watsonville, Calif. are eliminated from the tournament leaving Kaua‘i, Santa Cruz, Campbell and Long Beach, the sole undefeated team, to battle for the honor of advancing to the PONY World Series.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
