Hilo outlasts King Kekaulike in eight innings in state baseball opener
Cole Hatayama came through with a double with two outs in the eighth inning and Hilo outlasted King Kekaulike 8-6 in the first round of the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I State Baseball Championships at Hans L’Orange Park. “He’s our leader,” Hilo coach Baba Lancaster said. “I told him from the beginning of the season, ‘wherever you take us this year, that’s where we are going to go.
’ “ Hatayama, a senior catcher, pulled a 2-1 pitch to the 337-foot sign in the right field corner to score Logan Schlueter and Braden Ota to break the deadlock. Tyson Santiago followed with a triple to right field to add an insurance run. Hilo pitcher Liam Villanueva fell into trouble in the bottom of the frame, allowing a run but stranding runners on first and second when he induced Maika Junick to hit a foul pop near first base that was handled by Santiago.
Hilo jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Waveriders pitcher Keona Baraza dropped a throw covering first base and second baseman Taylor Hashimoto committed two errors on ground balls. Baraza escaped with only two runs against him and teammate Cove Campas got them back in the bottom of the inning with a home run over the left field fence, a poke of more than 370 feet, to drive in Baraza. Baraza had three hits for King Kekaulike and pitched into the sixth inning.
He was chased when the Vikings plated three runs off the tiring hurler, punctuated by a double by Santiago, who had three hits for Hilo to match Hatayama’s output. The Vikings, who lost to King Kekaulike in the preseason, move on to play ILH champion Kamehameha tomorrow. “I know they are a pretty good team” Lancaster said.
“We just have to show up and play hard. Every team is good at states. ”