There is no doubt that pitching and defense play huge roles in success on the diamond.

Taking a look at the baseball division standings in the OIA and the ILH, the teams sitting atop the standings are there largely because of solid pitching and a defense behind them that minimizes errors.

Mid-Pacific (10-2) has only committed seven errors on the season, while allowing just 28 runs en route to a regular season title in ILH Division I play. Campbell (11-1) gave up just 15 runs in capturing the OIA Red West regular season crown, tallying 18 errors. Current ILH D2 leader Pac-Five (9-1-1) and second-place Maryknoll (7-2-1) have just 11 and 12 errors respectively, and OIA Red East division leader Castle finished the regular season with 21 miscues.

But compressed into win-or-go-home tournaments featuring the best teams at the league and state level, the ability for teams to get production from their bats could make all the difference, especially since teams will be forced to travel a little further down the rotation then they might have had to in the regular season.

Our Pizza Hut Hit Tracker contest spotlights the leading teams in terms of singles, double, triples and home runs in both leagues, and it is interesting to see how the leading teams standings-wise stack up against the top performing teams in the Hit Tracker.

As such, here are some observations:

DIVISION I

Mid-Pacific: Statistically, the Owls offense owns the 3rd spot amongst Oahu teams in terms of hitting prowess, having connected for 81 singles to go along with 10 doubles and 6 triples. Coupled with an aforementioned defense (7 errors) backing up a relatively stingy pitching staff that began the season with four straight shutouts and has allowed its opponents 3 or more runs just three times this season, its hard to argue that Mid-Pacific isn't poised to make a deep run on Maui. Senior Bryce Asao has driven in 9 runs, scored 7, and added a double, a triples and a stolen base, while fellow senior Isiah Kiner-Falefa has 9 runs scored, 7 RBIs, 2 doubles, a triple and 2 SB from the leadoff position.

Campbell: The Sabers are just 14th statistically in the hitting department, with 57 singles, 10 doubles and 3 triples, and a .250 average isn't one to continue come playoff time. Still, Campbell has benefitted from strong outings on the mound to make up it. Until the loss against Mililani on April 13, Campbell had not allowed more than 2 runs in any contest this season, as starters Jasten Smeigh (25 IP, 0 ER, 19K, 3 BB) and Ian Kahaloa (31 IP, 4 ER, 26K, 10 BB) in particular, have been lights out. Senior 1B Rayven Kahana leads the team in average (.313), doubles (3) and triples (1), while Alii Pedrina has swiped 11 bases.

Castle: Having allowed nearly as many runs (61) as they have scored themselves (62), the Red East leading Knights may not appear quite as dominant on paper as the other two Division I leaders, but have found ways to win nevertheless. Castle rattled off seven consecutive wins to start the season, during which the Knights were on the winning end of 5 games decided by 3 runs or less. Amongst all of the teams seeded into next week's OIA Red playoffs, the Knights rank the lowest in terms of hitting, with 69 hits (8 doubles, 3 triples) on the year to place them 16th amongst Oahu teams. Micah Camara has 5 runs scored and 6 RBIs to pace the Knights, and is hopeful for a return come playoff time after leaving the game with a concussion against Kaiser on April 10.

Pearl City: Ranked first in hitting amongst Division I schools on Oahu with 106 total hits, including 16 doubles, 3 triples and 2 home runs, and having scored a OIA Red high 79 runs during the regular season, the Chargers boast the most productive offense at least statistically. Pearl City has reached double-digit hits in five games and scored 10 or more runs three times. And with just 39 runs allowed all year (good for 4th amongst Division I teams on Oahu) to go along with 29 errors defensively, the Chargers looked equipped to make a strong run in the postseason. Senior Kamalu Neal is 3-1 as a pitcher and sports a .545 average with 11 RBIs, 2 doubles, a triple and a home run, and junior Tanner Tokunaga is 3-3 on the mound with 14 runs, 7 RBI, 6 stolen bases while batting at .462 clip.

Kaiser: The Cougars finished strong with wins over Roosevelt and East leader Castle, but an up-and-down season at least in the win-loss column could certainly have gone the other way, as Kaiser lost its five games by a total of seven runs, including four of them by just a single point. Offensively, Kaiser is second in the hitting department, with 99 hits (8 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs), and is second to only Campbell in runs scored to runs allowed differential. Junior hurler Kelan Yoshioka boasts a nearly 4:1 strikeout to walk ratio, and also paces the team offensively with a .378 average, with a double, 2 triples, a home run and 2 stolen bases.

DIVISION 2

Pac-Five: Wolfpack look to be in the driver's seat for the ILH's lone berth to the Division II tourney, having notched 2 wins in three contests over second place Maryknoll. Like its Division I leading counterpart Mid-Pacific, Pac-Five has been stellar on the diamond, committing just 11 errors while allowing just 35 runs scored. The Wolfpack also lead all Oahu Division II squads in hitting, with 98 hits, 11 of them doubles and 4 of the three-base variety. Senior pitcher Chris Andreyka has been stellar on the mound, compiling a 4-0 record with 33 2/3 innings pitched. Senior Brayden Yabuki leads the Wolfpack with a .424 average with 14 runs scored, 7 RBIs, two doubles, a triple and 6 steals.

Radford: The 9-1 Rams have rolled through the OIA White this year, outscoring opponents by more than a 2-to-1 ratio. Radford ranks 13th in hitting overall, with 72 hits (5 doubles, 3 triples). The Rams only loss of the year came at the hand of the Seariders, 12-9, on April 1. That game was a make-up of a March 30 contest that was suspended due to rain. Waianae led 2-1 in the rain-out and also defeated Radford 11-1 in both teams' season openers, but that game was later forfeited by the Seariders due to an ineligible player. Rams' infielder Marc Tejada leads the team with a .464 average, 11 runs scored and 12 RBIs.

Waianae: The second-place Seariders are 6-3 on the year, but forfeited three wins due to player ineligibility. Waianae still qualifies for the OIA White playoffs, and have dominated its competition during the regular season to the tune of 119 runs scored to just 21 allowed. Waianae bats have rung up 102 hits this season, including 24 doubles, 9 triples and 3 home runs. The Seariders are also sound defensively, having committed just 11 errors through 9 games. Junior 3B Sheaven Delima-Fereira is batting .406 with 14 runs scored, 13 RBIs, 4 doubles, 2 home runs and 4 stolen bases.