Punahou rallied four runs in the top of the seventh inning breaking a 2-2 tie and pulling away from Pearl City for a 6-2 win on Tuesday in the first round of the 2018 HHSAA State Division I Baseball Championship Playoffs played at the University of Hawaii’s Les Murakami Stadium.
Matthew McConnell earned the win for Punahou. McConnell pitching 2 1/3 innings allowing no runs on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Cade Halemanu took the loss for Pearl City pitching six innings while allowing six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Asa Kurasaki led Punahou at the plate hitting 3-3 with a triple, double, 2 RBI and a run scored. Kalae Harrison batted 1-1 with a triple, RBI and 2 runs scored.
Christian Pacrem led the Chargers at the plate hitting 2-2 with a RBI and run scored. Jensen Kaya 2-2, Shawn Iwane 1-3.
Pearl City broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the third inning on a RBI single by Christian Pacrem that scored Carter Hirano from third base and put the Chargers up 2-1.
In the top of the fifth inning Kirk Terada-Herzer led off with a single to left field. Terada- Herzer stole second base. Kalae Harrison hit a sac bunt advancing Terada-Herzer to third base. Next batter Asa Kurasaki drilled a RBI double scoring Terada- Herzer from third base to tie the game at 2-2.
In the top of seventh inning Terada- Herzer reached first base on a dropped ball at the bag. Next batter Kalae Harrison stroked a RBI triple to right field that scored Terada- Herzer from first base putting Punahou in the lead at 3-2. Next batter Asa Kurasaki followed with a RBI triple to right field that scored Harrison from third base. Punahou went up 4-2. Pearl City made a pitching change bringing in Alika Almarez in relief of Cade Halemanu. Next batter Kamauliola Aina hit a RBI single that scored Kurasaki from third base to put Punahou in the lead at 5-2. Jake Tsukada hit a RBI sac fly that scored Aina from third base for Punahou’s final run of the top of the seventh inning four-run rally. Final 6-2 Punahou.
Punahou will face #1 Baldwin today in the championship tournament quarterfinals with first pitch scheduled for 4:00pm at Les Murakami Stadium.
Pearl City will play Kalani on Thursday in the consolation semifinals at Hans L 'Orange Park in Waipahu. First pitch is scheduled for 9:00am.
@ Les Murakami Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Punahou (14-6 ) 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 6 8 0
Pearl City (9-7) 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 6 2
For complete HHSAA championship tournament results, log on to: www.sportshigh.com
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Punahou's Matthew McConnell earned the win in relief pitching 2 1/3
innings allowing no runs on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Cade Halemanu took the loss for Pearl City pitching six innings
while allowing six runs on eight hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Punahou took a 3-2 lead in the top of the seventh inning on a RBI
triple by Kalae Harrison that drove in Kirk Terada-Herzer from first base.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Punahou's Kirk Terada-Herzer scores from first base on
Kalae Harrison's RBI triple in the top of the seventh inning.
@ Les Murakami Stadium
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Punahou (14-6 ) 0 0 1 0 1 0 4 6 8 0
Pearl City (9-7) 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 2 6 2