KAPA‘A — A walk-off home run in the eighth inning advanced the Kaneohe Nationals to the championship round yesterday at the District 1 Majors Tournament in Kapa‘a.
Tournament scorekeeper Jocelyn Awong said Kamana Pimental hit into the first pitch of the extra inning contest to give the Nationals a 10-9 edge over Kainalu at the main diamond at the New Kapa‘a Ball Park.
Earlier in the day, the Kaneohe Americans eliminated Kawaihau Majors All Stars from the tournament with a 5-2 win behind the pitching of Tristan Patrick-Silva who picked up the complete game win on the mound.
With the win, the Nationals are seated to play in the championship game Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Kainalu plays the winner of the Kailua/Kaneohe Americans matchup on Tuesday at 4 p.m.
Pimental’s game-winning homer was his second in the game, the first coming when the leadoff batter took the very first pitch and sent it over the fence. Awong said his game-winning shot was also as the leadoff batter, and Pimental took the first pitch to end the game.
But he was not alone in swinging the bat as Awong said three other Nationals also sent balls flying over the fence. Those home run hitters included Eric Akamine, Kalei Davis and Micah Camara.
Kainalu, who had three home runs in its Saturday win over the Kaneohe Americans, also chalked up one homer by Ben Schofield.
Trailing 9-5 after five innings, Kainalu drove four runs across the plate to knot the contest at 9-9 to set the stage for Pimental’s solo shot. Scoring for Kainalu in the sixth were Schofield, Noah Smith, Kolton Jacobs and Quinten Love.
The Americans’ scorekeeper said Patrick-Silva just started pitching this year, and complimented the hurler on doing the task in just 80 pitches.
Awong said Patrick-Silva pitched 18 pitches Saturday and to go the complete game and pick up the win was an accomplishment.
Patrick-Silva finished by allowing two runs on four hits, including the 2-run homer by Bronson Aiwohi that bounced across the road in left field in the first inning.
Following that, Patrick-Silva went on to finish by allowing no more runs on just two more hits.
The Americans opened up the books when Drew Duarte, singling with two away, advanced and scored on Kawaihau errors. He was followed by Lyle Alloy-Glover, singling to first, and scoring on an error from Dillion Itai’s play.
But Kawaihau answered as Justin Nagahisa doubled to right field with one out. He was followed by Bronson Aiwohi who smashed a 2-run homer to deep left for the 2-2 stalemate that stood until the third inning when the Americans drove in three runs.
Justin Souza, singling to right, crossed the plate in the third when Itai was hit by a pitch on a bases-loaded situation.
A passed ball scored Duarte, walking to first, and Alloy-Glover, also walking to first, crossed on an RBI double from Matt Kishaba to round out the Americans’ win.
With the win, the Kaneohe Americans face Kailua starting at 4 p.m. today at the Main Diamond.
