MIL teams back on the diamond | News, Sports, Jobs

Maui High School’s Luke Alwood delivers a pitch to Punahou’s Kaikea Harrison during the first inning of the Sabers’ 3-3 tie with the Buff ‘n Blue in an MIL Preseason Baseball Tournament game Thursday afternoon at Maehara Stadium. Alwood struck out Harrison to end the inning. The Maui News / ROBERT COLLIAS photo

WAILUKU — The electricity in the air was palpable Thursday at Maehara Stadium for the Maui Interscholastic League Preseason Baseball Tournament.

Prep baseball was back for the first time in two years, the stands were packed, the field was dragged and watered after each of four games, balls were pitched and hit — all much to the delight of everyone involved.

Perhaps the moment of the day for Valley Isle fans came when Maui High School’s Chris Mata worked his way out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam against Punahou in the top of the sixth inning of an eventual 3-3 tie.

The right-handed junior started the shutdown with a fielder’s choice that forced out a runner at home and followed that with two straight strikeouts looking to keep the game tied 2-2.

The crowd roared and Mata bounced off the mound jubilantly.

Dando

Maui High took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the sixth when pinch runner Trey Shimabukuro scampered home on an error.

A fly ball that would have ended the game in the top of the seventh fell to the ground when the Maui High infield lost it in the lights, allowing a run to score and moments later the game was called a 3-3 tie due to the 2-hour, 15-minute time limit.

The scores hardly mattered on this day, however.

“Nerve-racking, I mean I couldn’t sleep last night, just excited to be out here with these boys that I’ve grown up with and played with for however long,” Maui High right fielder Zach Dando said. “It’s nice to get out here and face some good competition after so long.”

Maui High starting pitcher Luke Alwood, who has signed with Seattle University, was one of the reasons six Major League Baseball organizations sent scouts to the tournament.

Alwood

“I was a little bit aware of it, but yeah it didn’t really play in to how I performed, I just stayed focused with my performance and how I was going to pitch,” Alwood said after allowing two runs and two hits in 2 2/3 innings in which he struck out three and hit two batters. “I think I did pretty good.”

Mata’s line was 3 1/3 innings pitched, no runs allowed, two hits, three strikeouts and one hit by pitch.

Tying Punahou is a significant step for the Sabers, but the story this day was that five MIL D-I teams were on the field again, with four teams from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

With the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division I state tournament set for Maehara Stadium May 4-7, the ILH teams are glad to be here.

“It’s a great experience for the boys themselves, their families, but I think especially for the Maui baseball community,” Punahou coach Keenan Sue said. “I think it’s been a couple of years since you guys have had a game like this. The atmosphere tonight felt like a state tournament. I think everybody could attest to that — it was just exciting to see them compete. (Maui High), they have a great ball team. I think both teams rose to the challenge. That was exciting baseball.”

Punahou won the 2019 state title here the last time they were on Maui, in the last meaningful high school games played on the Valley Isle.

“We love this place, I think Iron Maehara is hands down the nicest facility, ballpark facility in the state — and I mean this whole state, every single field,” Sue said. “There’s no atmosphere like it is here, there’s no fans like the Maui fans, they love baseball, they know baseball.

“And it’s competitive, but it’s also respectful. I hope that they feel the same way, we have a mutual respect for Maui, all the Maui teams, so we love coming here.”

Professional scouts from the Texas, Toronto, Seattle, Arizona, Oakland and Houston organizations in Major League Baseball were in attendance to watch several prospects in the tournament.

In other games on opening day of the tournament, which runs through Saturday: Iolani beat Kamehameha Maui 7-0; Maryknoll topped King Kekaulike 14-1 in five innings; Saint Louis beat Baldwin 9-1 in a game called after four innings due to the time limit; and at Maui High Field, Lahainaluna beat Iolani 7-3.

Baldwin coach Craig Okita was just happy to have his team back on the field. Back in 2020, MIL teams played only a few preseason games before the onset of the pandemic, and the 2021 season was scrapped entirely.

“It’s definitely nice to see the familiar faces and the teams and the colors on the field,” Okita said before his team’s game. “It’s great to be back after a two-year hiatus.”

Okita reiterated that “it’s not done yet, but I’m glad we’re at this point where it’s looking like we’re going to have a season. It’s big for those (seniors) because they’ve suffered tremendously as well. We don’t have a guy on our team who has started a varsity game, so our seniors, this is big for them. We’re going to get them in the game tonight, get them the first crack and take it from there.”

Okita and Maui High coach Chase Corniel both see quite a race in MIL D-I play to get back to Maehara for the state tournament.

“It’s important to all of us in the MIL because we haven’t played — these ILH teams, they played last year, they had a season,” Okita said. “So, it’s a good measuring stick as to how far we need to go and where we stand at this point. Who knows? It’s been two years.”

Corniel said before his game that his team was ready to roll.

“It’s exciting, very exciting,” he said. “I just want to let them show what they got. You know, it’s been a long time and everybody has been anticipating a lot.

“I think there’s a lot of good teams in the state, there’s a lot of great players, a lot of guys really worked on their skills. A lot of them have grown without us knowing — I mean, it’s just unbelievable what they’ve accomplished.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 8:30 a.m.—State championships, dive finals, at Kihei Aquatic Center. 1 ...

BOWLING ALOHA FRIDAY LEAGUE Feb. 2 Results At Wailuku Lanes Standings—Anela’s 61, Jonathan’s 59.5, ...

Lola Donez scored 19 points in her final game with the Lahainaluna High School girls basketball team as the Lunas ...

Top-seeded Iolani School got a golden goal off the post in the 89th minute on Friday night for a 1-0 overtime win ...

Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 10 a.m.—State championships, dive prelims, at Kihei Aquatic ...

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3UoqWer6NjsLC5jqynqKqkqHytu8Kao2aroKS%2Ftb%2BOa2dral9lgHC5yKVkrZ2RosBursCcomannmLBqbGMnaCapZ%2BjsXA%3D