OIA Baseball
Mililani overcomes early deficit to top Leilehua, 15-8


Wes Nakama
March 25, 2011, 7:23pm

  

Fri, Mar 25, 2011 @ [ 3:30 pm ]

Mililani

15

Leilehua

8

FINAL 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Mililani 0 16214115111
Leilehua 4 2 0000281110

W: Kanoa Hironaka    L: Larry Paas

LEI: Kenan Sadanaga 2-4 2 runs 3 rbi dbl trp; Larry Paas 4.0 IP 4 ER 3 K
MIL: Jacob Mariano 2-3 2 runs rbi 2 dbl; Kanoa Hironaka 5.1 IP 2 ER 5 K




WAHIAWA -- Mililani overcame an early 6-1 deficit yesterday by exploding for six runs in the third inning en route to a 15-8 rout of Leilehua in O'ahu Interscholastic Associtation baseball action.

The victory at Howard K. Oda Field at Fred Wright Park improved the Trojans to 5-0 in the OIA's Red Conference Western Division. The Mules fell to 3-5.

Leilehua lost a close 6-4 game at Mililani on Wednesday and appeared primed for an upset yesterday after jumping on the Trojans for four runs in the bottom of first inning highlighted by Kenan Sadanaga's two-run double, Larry Paas' RBI double and a run-scoring single from John Pratt-Baptista.

Mililani got a run back in the second after Justin Revilla led off with a single to left, advanced to second on Wade Taoka's groundout and to third on a two-out infield throwing error before scoring on another infield error.

But the Mules extended the lead to 6-1 in the bottom of the frame after triples by Cyrus Ah Quin and Sadanaga and Paas' RBI single to left.

The Trojans, however, answered with the six-run third, fueled by Jacob Mariano's run-scoring double, Reid Uyehara's run-scoring single and sacrifice flies from Taoka and Ekolu Ramos. They also benefitted from two errors, two wild pitches and a hit batter.

Mililani made it 9-6 in the fourth after another error and Revilla's sacrifice fly, added a run in the fifth off another error and then effectively put the game out of reach with a four-run sixth after four more errors.

Leilehua committed 10 errors overall.

"I told our guys we're not going to just sit back and hit the ball over the fences," Trojans coach Mark Hirayama said. "We just have to put the ball in play and make (the Mules) make plays."

Meanwhile, sophomore Kanoa Hironaka kept Leilehua's offense at bay with five-plus innings of relief in his first varsity league appearance.

"He settled into a groove and that was huge keeping us in the ballgame," Hirayama said. "We're fortunate to have a big pitching staff with some sophomores up from the JV, and I've been using two or three pitchers every game."

Mules coach Lane Watanuki said his batters may have gotten too eager after success in the first two innings.

"They started pressing and tried to yank balls, and that's when your swing changes," Watanuki said.

Taoka, Mariano and Revilla each went 2 for 3, with Taoka knocking in three runs and Mariano slamming two doubles. Pratt-Baptista went 3 for 4, Ah Quin went 3 for 5 and Sadanaga and Paas each went 2 for 4 for Leilehua.



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