Give the Kailua High School baseball team an inch, and the Surfriders will take a mile. ‘Aiea learned that the hard way Friday night, as youthful Kailua pounced on Na Ali’i for a five-run third inning en route to an 8-1 victory and its first OIA championship since 2017.
Freshman ‘Ale Kuhaulua and junior Jayden Hunt combined on a three-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks and the Surfirders took advantage of four ‘Aiea errors at Les Murakami Stadium to improve to 13-2 and secure the league’s top seed and first-round bye for the state tournament May 14-17. Na Ali’i, who were seeking their first OIA Division I title since 2006, fell to 12-3 and will begin state tournament play in the first round on May 14.
Friday’s game was tied at 1-1 with one out in the bottom of the third inning when Kailua’s lone senior, Kaimana Burgo, walked and stole second, then scored on an outfield error after Kuhaulua’s single to left. Masao Minami followed with an RBI double to right field, and the next three batters reached on a walk, infield throwing error and a single. After a balk and wild pitch, when all was said and done the Surfriders built the lead to 6-1.
“Once we got that lead, we didn’t want to give them any confidence,” said Burgo, who played left field and batted leadoff. “I feel like once we get the lead, the floodgates open and then we start to feel the energy of our crowd, and it’s all good.”
The gates opened again in the sixth, as Hunt reached on an infield throwing error and advanced to second when the ball went out of play. Racen Gauthe-Santos then slammed an RBI pinch single to left field, and Burgo crushed a run-scoring triple to right field to make it 8-1.
In addition to the four errors, ‘Aiea also committed two balks and lost an out on a defensive obstruction call.
“That momentum shift … it could have been any play in that (third) inning, but we kicked the ball around way too much today,” Na Ali’i coach Brennan Alejo said. “We gotta play cleaner. After maybe one or two plays in that inning, we kind of spiraled from there. I think the noise, the momentum from the fans … I think it got to the boys a little bit and they held onto the ball a little tight on some throws. We just didn’t hit enough, as well.”
After giving up an unearned run in the top of the first inning when Brennen Panis walked and scored on a two-out ground ball fielding error that saw the ball ricochet into foul territory past the right field foul line, Kailua starter Kuhaulua got a strikeout to kill the rally and then struck out four of the next nine batters.
Hunt took over in the top of the fourth and retired the final 12 batters in order after the leadoff man reached on an infield error.
“We had a game plan, and (Kuhaulua and Hunt) just followed it,” Surfriders coach Corey Ishigo said. “(They) did what they had to do, threw the pitches where they had to throw.”
Burgo, who pitched three innings of relief and earned the save in Thursday’s 3-1 semifinal victory over Moanalua, said the Kailua pitching staff was prepared for the tournament. The Surfirders allowed only two earned runs in 21 innings pitched over three days.
“Our staff works hard, we take pride in our pitching,” Burgo said. “So it’s not surprising when our pitching does this.”
Burgo finished 2 for 3 with the RBI triple, and Minami went 2 for 3 with the double. Bostan Ujimori went 1 for 3 with a double to lead ‘Aiea.
Photos: Jonathan Salvador
Mahalo to these sponsors for proudly backing Hawai’i high school sports, enabling us to continue showcasing athletes and schools here in the 808. Your support makes it all possible.
