Pearl City knocked off Kaneohe 9-2 in the opening round of the 2012 Hawaii State Little League Juniors Championship Tournament played on Thursday at Ala Wai Field in McCully.
The win advanced Pearl City to a second round match up with District 6 representative Aiea scheduled for 11:30am today at the Ala Wai Field. Kaneohe will meet Hilo at 2:30pm in the second game of the doubleheader. Hilo lost to Maui 11-9 on Thursday.
On Thursday, Pearl City took a 3-0 lead in the top of second inning. Kaneohe came back in the bottom of the third inning with two runs to close within a couple runs at 3-2. In the top of the sixth inning, Pearl City made their move scoring four runs on two hits to take a 7-2 lead. In the top of the seventh inning, Pearl City scored two runs more to extend their lead to 9-2.
Sean Kamaunu got the start for Kaneohe. Marques Asato, Kiai Ah Mook Sang, Cody Kaneshiro, and Ezekiel Keama all worked in relief for Kaneohe.
Trestan Nakamura got the call for Pearl City followed by Sanyo Lo and Makoa Mau in relief.
Scoring Summary:
Top 2
In the top of the second inning Ty Kurata got on base with a one out single to center field. Micah Balderas came into the game as a special pinch runner for Kurata at first base. Next batter Trestan Nakamura hit an RBI double to right field that scored Balderas from first base. Colby Hirano hit a single to left field and reached second base on a throw to third base in an attempt to pick off Nakamura who advanced from second. Kawaiola Takemura flied out for the second out. Sanyo Lo hit a fly ball to left field that was dropped scoring Nakamura and Hirano. Lawson Faria hit a long drive to center field that was caught for the third out. Pearl City took a 3-0 lead.
Bottom 3
Ezekiel Keama walked to lead off the the bottom of the third inning. Keama got picked off in a rundown between first and second. Next batter Sean Kamaunu was hit by a pitch. Ian Segawa reached first base after diving for the bag. Kaneohe had runners on first and second with one out. The runners moved up to second and third on a pass ball at the plate. Next batter Brendan Odo hit an RBI single that scored Kamaunu from third base. Pearl City made a pitching change bringing in Sanyo Lo in relief of Nakamura. Kainalu Moya hit an RBI single scoring Segawa from third base cutting into Pearl City's lead at 3-2. Lo got Dane Itomura to ground out to end the inning.
Top 6
Colby Hirano got hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the sixth inning. Hirano advanced to second base on a steal. Kawaiola Takemura hit a single pushing Hirano to third base. Takemura made it to second base on a steal. Pearl City had runners on second and third with no outs. Next batter Sanyo Lo hit a two RBI double driving in Hirano and Takemura. Lawson Faria grounded out for out number one. Matt Yokota flied out for the second out. On the play, Lo tagged up and was able to make it home safely on a bad throw to third base and a late throw at home. Next batter Makoa Mau walked. Mau advanced to second base on a steal. A pass ball at the plate moved Mau to third base. Tyler Tashiro ripped an RBI triple scoring Lo from third base. Kaneohe made a pitching change bringing in Cody Kaneshiro in relief of Kiai Ah Mook Sang with one out and Tashiro at third base in scoring position. Next batter Ty Kurata was hit by a pitch. Nick Au came into the game to pinch run for Kurata at first base. Au reached second base on a steal. Taylyn Kimura flied out for third out. Pearl City left two runners on base to end the inning with a 7-2 lead.
Top 7
In the top of the seventh inning, Pearl City scored two runs to take a 9-2 lead. Kawaiola Takemura reached first base with a one out single. Sanyo Lo got on with a single putting runners on fiirst and second. Lawson Faria popped up for the second out. Next batter Matt Yokota hit a ball to right field that was dropped by the right fielder scoring Takemura and Lo. Ezekiel Keama came into the game in relief of Kaneshiro with one runner on base and two outs. Keama retired the next batter for the third out.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Sean Kamaunu got the start for Kaneohe against Pearl City. Kamaunu pictured in the top of the first inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Trestan Nakamura started on the hill for Pearl City. Nakamura pictured throwing throwing strikes in the bottom of the second inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Brendan Odo drives in the first run of the ball game for Kaneohe on an RBI single that scored Sean Kamaunu from third base in the bottom of the third inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Sanyo Lo crosses home plate with the final run of the ball game that gave Pearl City a 9-2 lead on a drive to right field by Matt Yokota that was dropped allowing Kawaiola Takemura and Lo to score.