Punahou topples top seed
Photo gallery: Thursday's state baseball |
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Punahou completed a clean sweep of seeded teams yesterday at the Wally Yonamine Foundation Baseball State Championships, knocking off No. 1 Pearl City, 3-1, before a vocal crowd of about 900 at Les Murakami Stadium.
The five-time defending champ Buffanblu, who took third in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, improved to 13-8 in regular and postseason play and will face ILH runner-up Kamehameha (18-5) in tonight's feature semifinal at 7.
The game will be televised live statewide on OC16.
Punahou took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning and held on due to a crucial call in the bottom half and also a clutch long-relief performance by freshman Zachary Muenster.
Michael Suiter led off the game with a double to right-center and scored on a bases-loaded walk to Kainoa Crowell, and Jeremy Ioane followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.
In the bottom half, Bronson Oda reached on a one-out single and appeared to score on Kyle Kobayashi's triple to the right-field corner. But the Buffanblu appealed, successfully arguing that Oda did not touch third base on his way from second to home.
Kobayashi then scored on Chace Numata's double, but Punahou starter Marcus Yoshii got a flyout to right field to keep the lead at 2-1.
The Buffanblu made it 3-1 in the sixth after Kainoa Crowell singled with one out, advanced to third after an attempted double-play throw went into right field, and scored on Tyler Hanzawa's single to right.
In the meantime, Muenster relieved Yoshii in the fourth and allowed only one hit and one walk over the final four innings, with three strikeouts. The two combined on a four-hitter.
The O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Chargers (15-1) also sent a freshman, Kawika "Sumi" Pruett, to the mound. He started and allowed only two earned runs and five hits over six innings.
Besides Pearl City, No. 2 'Iolani, No. 3 Hilo and No. 4 Kamehameha-Maui also lost yesterday.
PUNAHOU (13-8) 200 001 0—3 6 0
PEARL CITY (15-1) 100 000 0—1 4 2
Marcus Yoshii, Zachary Muenster (4) and Tyler Young. Kawika Pruett, Isaac Shim (7), Royce Murai (7) and Carlton Tanabe. W — Muenster. L — Pruett.
Leading hitters — Punahou: Michael Suiter 2-3, double; Tyler Hanzawa 2-3, triple. Pearl City: Kyle Kobayashi 2-3, triple; Chace Numata double.
Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.