Hilo 2, Keaau 1
Hilo 2, Keaau 1
Thanks in no small part to Keaau’s Keian Kanetani, some of Hilo coach Tony De Sa’s worst fears were realized in Friday’s BIIF Division I baseball semifinals.
The Vikings suffered their typical first-inning jitters and came out sluggish against a determined senior pitcher, but none of it mattered because of Joey Jarneski.
Hilo and Waiakea are still on a collision course, though Hilo had to sweat out a 2-1 victory at Wong Stadium in its Game 1, using a one-hitter from Jarneski and scratching across runs in the fourth and fifth to survive.
The Warriors — who beat Kealakehe 10-0 on Friday — and the Vikings (10-3) are expected to cruise through the semifinals. But after losing twice to Hilo (10-3) by a combined 33-0 runs during the regular season, the Cougars (4-9) got a strong start from Kanetani.
Jarneski, the junior right-handed ace, struck out nine and walked just two, throwing 109 pitches and retiring his last seven batters.
Game 2 is 1 p.m. Saturday.
Waiakea 10, Kealakehe 0
David Nakamura struck out seven in a two-hitter, and Taylor Mondina highlighted a eight-run third inning with an RBI triple as the Warriors earned a TKO victory in their semifinal series opener at home.
Trayden Tamiya was 2 for 3 with three RBIs and Jaron Kawaguchi was 2 for 3 and drove in two for top-seeded Waiakea (12-1), which has outscored the Waveriders 41-2 in three games this season and goes for the sweep at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Pulama Louis lasted 2 2/3 innings for the Waverider (2-11), yielding six hits, eight runs – two earned – with three walks and a strikeout.
Nakamura walked just one and hit an RBI double in the third.
Kealakehe 000 00 – 0 2 3
Waiakea 008 11 – 10 9 0
By Hawaii Tribune-Herald sources