KS-Maui, Baldwin march on to Division I semis

Rayden Aoki | SL

The Maui Interscholastic League continued to flex its collective muscle in the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division I State Baseball Championships, as both Kamehameha-Maui and Baldwin btoh secured spots in the semifinals.

Kamehameha-Maui trailed 2-0 after the top of the first, as Leilehua scored two runs on five hits, but rallied back in the bottom of the frame with two runs of its own, as four walks and two fielding errors helped even the contest at 2-all.

The Warriors broke the game open in the fourth, as four runs came in to score on three base hits, highlighted by four stolen bases in the frame, including Bransyn Hong swiping home base to make it a 6-2 game.

Kanoa Arakawa helped the Warriors keep the Mules off the scoreboard for 5 2/3 innings after giving up the early two runs, and Hong came on for the final out, needing just one pitch to earn the save.

Hong did work with the bat as well, going 2 for 2 with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Kamehameha-Maui will take on Saint Louis in the 7 p.m. game Friday.

In earlier action, Baldwin got a complete game gem from Jayden Perry-Waikiki, who pitched a five hitter with one walk and one strikeout, needing just 89 pitches to go the distance in a 1-0 win over Kamehameha.

The lone run in the contest came in the top of the first, when Marley Sebastian came in to score on an error, and the Bears only mustered a single hit in the entire game, a lead off single by Kaedyn Miyake-Matsubayashi to lead off the second inning.

Kamehameha's Greyson Osbun went pitch for pitch with Perry-Waikiki, going six strong innings with just a single unearned run on one hit, striking out three and walking two.

Logan Akaka was 3 for 3 in the game for the Warriors.

Baldwin will face Waiakea in the first semifinal of the day at Iron Maehara on Friday.