LIHU‘E — If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Waimea Menehune used virtually the exact same formula in their Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association semifinal game as they did in Thursday’s first-round game, moving on to the Division II
LIHU‘E — If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
The Waimea Menehune used virtually the exact same formula in their Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association semifinal game as they did in Thursday’s first-round game, moving on to the Division II championship with a 9-2 win over St. Anthony, Friday night at Hans L’Orange Park on O‘ahu.
Just as was the case Thursday, the Menehune jumped all over St. Anthony starting pitcher Rory Racadio, scoring five runs in the first inning and never looking back, now setting their sights on a Hawai‘i Div. II state title.
They will take on Kamehameha Schools-Big Island (9-5, 2-0 HHSAA) for the championship, tonight at 7 p.m. Kamehameha topped Hawai‘i Prep, 7-5, in the other Div. II semifinal game late Friday night.
Waimea second baseman Mana Perreira-Alquiza was 3 for 5 with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first, giving him homers in both tournament games.
Third baseman Micah Rita was 2 for 2 with a triple, two runs, two RBIs, two walks and a stolen base.
Starting pitcher Shylen-John Keuma not only got the victory for the Menehune (12-2, 2-0 HHSAA), his second in two days, but he helped his own cause with a two-run home run in that explosive first inning. It was Keuma’s lone hit on the day, while he went four plus innings on the mound, giving up two runs on four hits, striking out two and walking one.
Kalani Fernandez came on to pick up the save, his second of the tournament, throwing the final three innings. He gave up just one hit, striking out four and walking four. He was also 1 for 4 with an RBI at the dish.
First baseman Gavin Jardin was 2 for 3 with two runs, outfielder Chyson Soares had a hit and scored a run and right fielder Paul Correa scored twice.
After Perreira-Alquiza’s solo shot got things started, Jardin drew a one-out walk, advancing to second on a wild pitch. Correa walked, setting up Micah Rita’s two-run triple to the gap in left-center field.
Keuma then slammed the very next pitch down the left-field line for his two-run blast to make it 5-0.
Waimea loaded the bases in the bottom of the second with one out, then saw Keuma and catcher Dylan Ishihara draw back-to-back walks to force in two runs and create a 7-0 advantage.
That score held until the top of the fifth inning, when St. Anthony’s Trevor Ventura singled to lead off the frame, followed by an RBI double for Jordan Hansen.
That would be all for Keuma, who moved out to left field and was relieved by Fernandez. Keuma was responsible for St. Anthony’s second run of the inning, but Fernandez struck out Taylor Silva to end the frame.
Waimea made it 8-2 in the fifth on a Fernandez RBI single that scored Soares. Soares had singled and reached third on a St. Anthony error.
The Menehune got their final run in the sixth as Micah Rita scored on an error.
Waimea won its first-round game over Waipahu, 12-5, scoring eight runs in the first three innings and outlasting its opponent from there. Keuma started and went four innings, while Fernandez went the final three. Each had the same role in Friday’s win.
St. Anthony (9-2, 1-1 HHSAA) was the No. 2 seed, while Waimea was seeded No. 3 in the bracket. The top seed, Radford, and No. 4-seeded Maryknoll each lost their first-round games, Thursday.
Tonight’s championship game will be covered live by KQNG AM 570.
In Friday’s Div. I action, Baldwin advanced to the title game with a 5-2 victory over Saint Louis.
It will face off with Punahou, which topped Mid-Pacific by a 4-1 score.
That game will be broadcast live on OC16 at 7 p.m. from Iron Maehara Stadium.
