WAIMEA — Mid-Pacific Institute pitcher Michael China held Kauai High School to two hits over three innings Thursday as the Walter Souza Invitational baseball tournament got underway at both Waimea Canyon Park and Hanapepe Stadium.
WAIMEA — Mid-Pacific Institute pitcher Michael China held Kauai High School to two hits over three innings Thursday as the Walter Souza Invitational baseball tournament got underway at both Waimea Canyon Park and Hanapepe Stadium.
China led the Owls’ 13-2 win by not allowing any runs while walking one Red Raider batter and striking out three.
Offensively, China, who moved to first base after being relieved by Randy Ihara, was one of three Owl batters who posted a pair of RBIs.
Lee Matsuzaki led the Owls with three RBIs on one hit as Mid-Pacific piled up 10 hits.
Jacob Borrero took the loss for Kauai, who went through a stable of five pitchers. Borrero was strapped for six runs on four hits while walking two and striking out a pair of Owl batters.
Ethan Gray led the Raiders with two hits and an RBI. Skyler Sadora, making the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II All-Tournament team following Kauai’s championship run last season, marked an RBI.
Other Raider hitters in its five-hit outing included Borrero and Blake Probasco.
The loss puts Kauai in the 3:30 p.m. game today at Waimea Canyon Park against the loser of the Hanalani and host Waimea High School, who played at Hanapepe Stadium. The 1 p.m. opener in Waimea will see Kaiser take on the losers of the matchup between Waipahu and Kapaa High School, which was slightly delayed due to transportation issues.
Damien — runner up of the 2017 HHSAA Division II state championships — took the opening game, 6-1, against Kaiser High School.
They will go up against the winner of the Hanalani/Waimea matchup starting at 1 p.m. at Hanapepe Stadium.
The tournament continues through Saturday at Hanapepe Stadium.
So does this mean that if Waipahu won, and Mid-Pacific won, Kaua’i and Kapa’a would vy for the consolation champions spot? (Kaiser) Providing Waimea wins vs. Hanalani. Mid-Pacific and Waipahu would meet again in the title round. Waipahu playing whoever coming out of the other bracket. If Waimea, loses to Kaua’i. Consolation bracket. Kaiser. OIA.
12 games, if you follow proper double elimination format. But since I am following seeds, top seeds Mid-pacific, Kaiser, Waipahu, Damien would hover over both the championship bracket and consolation bracket. 2-0 or 2-1, to title round. Easy format for hitting teams.