It’s Keaau’s preseason baseball tournament, but it’s played on Konawaena’s home field.
It’s Keaau’s preseason baseball tournament, but it’s played on Konawaena’s home field.
On Friday, both belonged to the Wildcats’ Jordan Miyahira-Young.
Miyahira-Young flirted with a no-hitter, tossing a one-hit shutout as Konawaena beat Keaau 9-0 at Gabby Inaba Field in Kealakekua.
“He was his typical last-year self,” coach Dave Distel said. “A Greg Maddux-like guy who has pitches darting around the strike zone.”
The senior right-hander took a no-hitter into the seventh inning before he allowed Anson Kauwe’s soft double, which dropped about a glove-length in front of center fielder Race Gustafson with one out.
Miyahira-Young walked a batter and struck out three during his 66-pitch gem.
“Keaau never really hit the ball that hard,” Distel said.
He said the Cougars played right into Miyahira-Young’s hands by being aggressive at the plate.
“He got guys out on the first pitch by changing speeds and location,” Distel said. “What we teach our pitchers is to have a relationship with the strike zone. We basically preach to throw around the plate.”
Konawaena busted out its bats at the plate for the second consecutive day, collecting 15 hits.
Miyahira-Young finished with three singles and two RBIs, while catcher Evyn Yamaguchi collected a double and triple among his three hits, finishing with three RBIs. Zane Gray had two hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Yamaguchi is batting .545 on the preseason.
Keian Kanetani took the loss for the Cougars, yielding 10 hits, nine runs — only three earned — with two strikeouts and two walks.
Kealakehe 15, Hawaii Prep 3: Pohaku Dela Cruz worked four solid innings as the Waveriders earned a five-inning TKO victory.
“His best start of the (preseason),” Waveriders coach Josh Hansen said. “He’s probably our No. 2 right now, battling for that top spot.”
Zaynan Sanchez was 3 for 4, while Shaden Lewi was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and turned in a solid effort defensively at shortstop.