Crusaders blank Buffanblu, improve to 2-1 in league play

Brian Bautista | SL

Saint Louis won its second straight game with a 3-0 shutout of Punahou under the lights at Hans L'Orange Field, improving to 2-1 on the season after dropping its season opener to PAC-5.

The Crusaders manufactured three runs off of just three hits, scoring runs in the first, fourth and fifth inning while four pitchers combined on a six-hitter, with Levi Perry getting the win and Bruin Agbayani earning the save with a 15 pitch seventh.

Kahanu Martinez led off the first with a double, reached third on an error on the same play, then came in to score a batter later on a sacrifice fly to open the scoring for Saint Louis. In the fourth, back-to-back singles by Kama Kane and Mana Heffernan brought home Drake Kenui to score for the second run, and the third run for the Crusaders came on a fielder's choice in the fifth after Aycen Fernandez reached on a error, and got pushed into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt by Martinez.

Punahou had double the number of hits in the game than their counterparts, but did not translate any of those into runs. The Buffanblu's best chance to bring home a runner came in the third, where three base runners were left stranded as Perry was able to induce an inning-ending ground out.

Owen Rappe was the only player to record multiple hits in the game, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate.