Mid-Pacific's Tyler Yamaguchi heads to home plate to score a run against Kamehameha. Brien Ing | SL

Purchase image 1 of 2

Mid-Pacific pitcher Grant Doi went the distance, allowing two runs on three hits to earn the win over Kamehameha. Brien Ing | SL

Purchase image 2 of 2

MANOA – Mid-Pacific scored four runs in the bottom of the first and was backed by Grant Doi's eight strikeouts in the Owls' 4-2 win over Kamehameha Tuesday afternoon.

A crowd of about 100 fans braved the rain at Damon field to see the second-ranked Owls advance past the Warriors in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I postseason tournament.

"This was crucial. Grant threw a great game today," said Mid-Pacific head coach Dunn Muramaru.

Mid-Pacific will face the winner of the backdoor bracket next Tuesday. With the tournament being double-elimination, this will allow the Owls to nurse some injuries.

"It's good and bad," said Muramaru. "We get the time to heal up a bit. We got couple guys dinged up, but you don't want to lose momentum."

The Owls started red hot in the bottom of the first as junior Jacob Maekawa hit a double to the left centerfield gap. Alexander Oley's bunt single and a wild pitch put runners at second and third with Noah Shackles coming to the plate.

Shackles grounded out to the second baseman to score Maekawa from third. Next batter senior Tyler Yamaguchi singled in Oley. Yamaguchi got to second on a Sean Kinel ground out and Chase Wago slapped an RBI-single to left field. Wago's hit chased Warrior starting pitcher Makoa Mau after only two outs.

Ryne Yamashiro capped the inning off with another RBI-single to right and gave the Owls a four-run lead after the opening frame.

As for the pitching, Doi dominated the first four innings by allowing only one hit.

"I think this was one of his best performance," said Muramaru. "For the stage of this game and having to pitch in this weather he did a great job for us."

"It felt really good. Getting that early lead was key for us," added Doi. "I trusted Shackles behind the plate and a lot of it was defense. Tyler had a nice catch and Oley in centerfield had a catch off the fence. I was just making them hit the ball and put the ball in play."

Yamaguchi, who will play at Northern Colorado next year, had an outstanding catch where he was fully extended, looking up at the sky and reaching back for a ball. 

"I was running for the ball, it started to drop so I started to give an effort and jumped at it," said Yamaguchi who finished 2-3 with an RBI. "I landed and it was solid right in the web."

Doi ran into some trouble in the top of the fifth as he hit two batters and allowed a Micah McNicoll RBI-single for the Warriors' first run. It was the first hit Doi had given up since the first batter in the top of the first singled up the middle.

In the top of the sixth Doi hit another batter and a Chance Arakaki's double off the centerfield fence allowed courtesy runner Chase Miyasato to score Kamehameha's second run of the game.

Doi found his pitching in the top of the seventh and shut down the Warriors' rally with two fly outs and his eighth strike out of the game. Doi finished a complete game three hits, eight strikeouts, with one walk. Only two Warriors were able to avoid from striking out to Doi.

Kamehameha's bullpen did their job as Hunter Brealt and Lad Ah Choy combined for a five and a third innings pitched, five hits, and a strikeout to keep the Warriors in the game.

The Warriors drop to the backdoor bracket and will play against the winner between Punahou and Iolani Saturday.

"We just got to get better as a team. Individually as well," said Doi. "Everyone has to keep on improving because everyone else in this league is improving as well."