Leilehua’s Koen Barton throws a pitch to plate against Iolani. Michael Lasquero | SL

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_23050340_BASE-5.2.23-IOLvsLEI-1427.jpg - Michael Lasquero | SL

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MANOA- It was Koen Barton's game all the way.

The junior right-hander pitched into and out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the seventh inning and Leilehua squeezed past Iolani, 2-0, in an opening-round game of the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I state baseball tournament Tuesday at Les Murakami Stadium.

Barton fired a three-hitter, but walked his only two batters and hit his second batter of the game in a thrilling seventh. After getting the first two out on two pitches, he hit a batter and walked the next two to load the bases, but he got Bruin Agbayani out on a fly to left to end the game.

"It was his game and he has the stamina to last," Leilehua coach Brandon Koa said. "We watched the pitch count, but it was his game."

It was indeed.

Barton had not allowed more than one Iolani batter to reach each inning until the seventh. But Barton had confidence in his defense to ward off any threat.

"That last inning, I was just trying to find it," Barton said. "Throw some strikes and let my defense work. They're a great defense."

That's more than what Iolani could say for its starting pitcher Trent Ihle, who allowed only four hits and two walks in six innings. Both of the runs he allowed were unearned.

An error paved the way for the only runs of the game in the bottom of the second inning. Bryce Anzai led off with a line single to left. Pono Arindain reached on shortstop Rylen Miyazaki's fielding error that put runners at first and second. After both advanced on Keola Hanoa's sacrifice, Anzai scored when Tanner Tammarine reached on a fielder's choice grounder to second. With runners at the corners with one out, third baseman Agbayani made a diving stop and threw out Loren Owan, but Arindain scored to make it 2-0 before Bryden Takayama lined out to first to end the inning.

The Raiders' hopes began to fade when the first two batters in the seventh grounded out on first pitches. But pinch hitter Isaac Ahokovi was hit by a pitch and pinch hitters Nakoa Siu and Matthew Kaneshiro drew successive walks. But Barton got Agbayani to fly out to left to end the game