Pearl City’s Nicholas Au scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to defeat previously unbeaten and OIA D1 West top ranked Mililani 4-3 on Friday at Pearl City High School’s baseball stadium.
Au scored from third base on a wild throw to first base in attempt to gun down Shaye Higa who hit an infield grounder with two outs and the bases loaded. Higa was on a mission to bring across the winning run after Mililani opted to intentionally walk Matt Tsutomi and Christian Onomura to load the bases with two outs and get to Higa who was next up in the Chargers batting order. Higa took off his catching gear, picked up his bat, and confidently uttered, "We're going to win"! And that's exactly what Shaye "PAYDAY" Higa went out and accomplished while wreaking havoc on the Trojans infield in true Chargers fashion.
Pearl City first year Chargers head coach Gavin Concepcion has his team believing that they can win any ball game at any time.
“From the start we’ve been trying to get that winning mentality with these kids,” said Concepcion. “Get them to understand that no matter what place we are in the game, or where we’re at, we always have a chance to pull a game out. We’ve come a long way from the preseason."
The Chargers entered Friday's game with Mililani with the confidence that they could beat the undefeated Trojans and avenge an earlier regular season 3-0 loss.
"We told the kids from the start that Mililani has been the class of the OIA and of the state and they know how to win," Concepcion said. “They know how to win close ball games. Our focus going into today was let's match them. Let’s play solid D. Let’s pitch on the mound. Let’s have good approaches at the plate. Let’s get that that winning mentality. The kids stuck with it. Even though we were down 3-1 going into the seventh, we had good approaches, good AB’s that put us in position to win."
Pearl City’s Chevy Sumile earned the win in two innings of relief for Chargers starting pitcher Trenton Darley. Sumile allowed two run runs on two hits with no strikeouts and no walks. Darley pitched five innings allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks in a no decision.
Mililani’s Kyson Outram took the loss in relief for Trojans starting pitcher Koa Eastlack who pitched four innings allowing one run on six hits with one strikeout and one walk in a no decision performance. The Trojans utilized five pitchers in the contest against the Chargers. Three Trojans pitchers took the mound in relief in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pearl City improves to 7-3, while Mililani is 9-1 and remains in first place in league standings.
Mililani returns to action with two games remaining on their regular season schedule against Waipahu at home on Wednesday, April 15, 3:00pm, and Campbell on Friday, April 17, 6:30pm at Hans L 'Orange Field in Waipahu.
Pearl City moves on and will close out their regular season schedule with two key match-ups beginning with Campbell at Campbell on Wednesday, April 15, 3:00pm, and Waianae at home on Saturday, April 18 at 3:00pm
GO CHARGERS!
@ Pearl City
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Mililani (9-1) 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 3 6 5
Pearl City (7-3) 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 4 6 3
Leading Hitters:
Mililani — Kainoa Wilson 1-3; Stewart Okazaki 1-4; Ty De Sa 1-4, RBI, 2B; CJ Ibara 2-2; Aris-Shea Nakagawa 1-1, RBI.
Pearl City — Nicholas Au 1-2; Tyler Kushima 2-3, RBI; Matt Tsutomi 1-3; Dane Kaneshiro 1-3; Brent Clymer 1-2; Sam Prentice 1-2, 2 RBI.
PEARL CITY SCORING
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Sam Prentice puts on the brakes after scoring the Chargers first run of the ball game
from third base on a pass ball at the plate that tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the
fifth inning. Prentice led off the inning with a single, stole second and advanced to third
base on a wild throw that missed it's mark attempting to pick him off at second.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Tyler Kushima blasts a RBI sac fly to left-center field in the bottom of the seventh
inning that scored Tyler Tashiro to close within one run of the Trojans at 3-2.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Tyler Tashiro races in from third base to score the Chargers second run of the ball game.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Sam Prentice scored behind Tashiro after getting the green light coming around third base
when the throw from left field on Tyler Tashiro's RBI sac fly got past the Mililani catcher
allowing Prentice to cross home plate and to tie the game at 3-3. Prentice's speed on the
base paths made a significant impact on the Chargers ability to score runs against Mililani.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Shaye "PAYDAY" Higa hits a hard infield grounder with two outs and the bases
loaded in bottom of the seventh inning that scored Nicholas Au from third base
on a wild throw to first base for the walk off 4-3 win over Mililani. Mililani intentionally
walked Matt Tsutomi and Christian Onomura to load the bases and face Higa.
Higa who came through in the clutch and cashed in on the game winning effort.
MILILANI SCORING
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Mililani's Ty De Sa stroked a RBI single in the top of the third inning that scored
Blaine DeMello from third base to put the Trojans in front of the Chargers 1-0.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Justice-Colby Nakagawa scores from third base on a pass ball
at the plate that broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the sixth inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Aris-Shea Nakagawa hit a RBI single to center field in the top of the sixth inning
that scored Jarrin Morikawa for a two-run lead over the Chargers at 3-1.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Jarrin Morikawa steps on home plate scoring the Trojans
third run of the ball game in the top of the sixth inning..
PITCHING
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City starting pitcher Trenton Darley pitched five complete innings allowing one
run on four hits with five strikeouts and four walks in a no decision for the Chargers.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Chevy Sumile earned the win in relief for Chargers starting pitcher Trenton Darley. Sumile
allowed two run runs on two hits with no strikeouts and no walks in two innings of work.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Mililani starting pitcher Koa Eastlack pitched four innings for the Trojans allowing
one run on six hits with one strikeout and one walk in a no decision performance.