HHSAA Baseball
Damien finally wins elusive championship


  



Fri, May 11, 2018 @ [ 4:00 pm ]


FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Radford 0 0000014
Damien 1 3 71X1290

W: Bryce Uyeno    L: Tommy Tereschuck

DMS: Shiloh Kaeo 2-2 3 rbi dbl; Bryce Uyeno 4.6 IP 0 ER 2 K
RAD: DJ Kabua 1-1; Shane Vogt 2.0 IP 4 ER 3 K


MANOA — What a difference a year makes.

The Monarchs avenged last year's runner-up finish to throttle Radford 12-0 in five innings to win the school's first-ever Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division II Baseball Championship at Les Murakami Stadium on Friday.

"It is going down in the books and it means a lot for the alumni and I'm glad our team could pull through. It was unfinished business from last year, we came ready and everything clicked today and it showed," said an emotional Bryce Uyeno.

"I'm speechless right now," catcher Shiloh Kaeo said. "I've been going to Damien since seventh grade and me and my boys have been talking about always wanting to bring home a state title."

Last year's heartbreaking loss to Kauai in the final lit a fire within the Damien returnees who never forgot that feeling. For coach Timo Donahue, a 1985 graduate, it meant a lot bringing a championship home to his alma mater.

"We were right there last year and didn't finish," Donahue said. "These guys persevered through a lot and I'm hard on them so they have the right mentality to play this game and they focused all season. We had to come through the long road but I think it helped us in the end."

Damien had to beat their Interscholastic League of Honolulu rival Saint Francis four-straight times, similar to last season to make it back into the state tournament.

"It wasn't a gimme. Saint Francis is a quality team and what they did last year, it showed the character this team has," Donahue said.

"We were on a mission from that first day. We weren't taking our foot off the gas pedal and we believed in each other and it showed," Uyeno said.

Shiloh Kaeo was one of four different Monarchs who drove in runs, going 2 for 2 with a double, single and sacrifice fly to drive in three overall runs. Greg Yamamoto | SL    Purchase image

Four different Monarchs drove in runs as Kaeo went 2 for 2 with a double, single and sacrifice fly to drive in three overall runs. Paul Mezurashi was 2 for 2 with an RBI, Jordan Donahue with an RBI single, and Kaimana Cameron had an RBI double to lead the Monarchs who had eight overall hits.

"They were huge and every one of them were a big piece of this pie all the way. This is a very good hitting team that doesn't come not too often," Donahue said.

"It was a team effort, it's not just me. Everybody did their part and everybody just dominated," echoed Kaeo.

Uyeno pitched a one-hitter in 4 2/3 innings with two walks and two strikes to pick up his second win in the state tournament. He had six strikes and one walk in three innings against Konawaena in the opener to finish with a 4-1 record on the season.

"Hats off to Bryce, he pitched a helluva game," Kaeo said.

Kaeo scored Damien's first run after doubling to right center and Alohi Arecchi scored off of Jordan Donahue's single.

The Monarchs capitalized on free bases and errors for three runs in the second inning. Kamakani Motas drew a lead-off walk and scored off two wild pitches. Kaysen Kajiwara and River Iaea laid down bunts that resulted in throwing errors to first. Tommy Tereschuck walked three consecutive batters and allowed a run as the Rams trailed, 4-0.

"That was huge and in the end, it worked out," Donahue said.

"It lit a fire under me and it lit a fire under everybody and there was electricity in the air and felt it," Uyeno said of his team grabbing the huge lead.

Damien went three up and three down and opened the floodgates after the Monarchs sent 11 batters to the plate to score seven runs on five hits and an error. Tereschuck consecutively walked Pomai Kim and Motas for his seventh walk and was pulled for Shane Vogt, who pitched his first game of the year after the Rams relied on the arms of Jack Dillon and Richard Akana in their first two tournament games. Vogt finished with two innings pitched, two strikes, three walks and of the six runs, four were tagged to him.

Kajiwara led off the fourth with a single to right field, Vogt struck out Milton Gainey III and Mezurashi hit his second single of the game and Akila Arecchi walked to load the bases. Kaeo brought in his third run of the game with a sacrifice fly deep to left field.

"Coach Timo is an awesome batting coach and I have to give him credit. He helped me with my batting and the last couple games I was in a slump and whatever was in my zone, I took it," Kaeo said.

DJ Kabua had Radford's only hit of the game going 1 for 1 with a walk.

Radford, the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner up, made their deepest tournament run. The Rams took down second-seeded KS-Hawaii, a team that has been their thorn in past state tournaments and edged out Kapaa in eight innings to reach their first-ever title game. They were seeking their first baseball championship since 1979.

-----

Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division II Baseball All-Tournament Team
as selected by the media and the HHSAA

  C – Shiloh Kaeo, Damien
 IF – Jordan Donahue, Damien
 IF – Kade Kupihea, Kapaa
 IF – Kamakani Motas, Damien
 IF – Reese Shioji, Farrington
OF – Chasen Castilliano, Farrington
OF – Pomai Kim, Damien
OF – Paul Mezurashi, Damien
UT – Jack Dillon, Radford
  P – Richard Akana III, Radford
  P – Kaimi Malina, Kapaa

Most Outstanding Player: Bryce Uyeno, Damien



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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