Saint Louis' Rego tosses 3-hitter to down Pearl City

Saint Louis ace Spencer Rego pitched a complete game three-hitter to power the Crusaders over Pearl City in the first shutout of the state tourney. Michael Lasquero | SL

WAILUKU, Maui - Spencer Rego fired a three-hitter and No. 2 and second-seeded Saint Louis beat Pearl City, 4-0, to advance to the semifinals against No. 3 and third-seeded Waiakea 4:30 p.m. Friday at Iron Maehara Stadium.

Rego let his defense do the work, forcing contact with harmless fly or ground outs. He walked three and struck out three while using 95 pitches.

He had two really impressive moments. In the fourth, he gave up a lead-off double to Dacoda Agoto, who took third on Logan Honma's single. After Honma stole second, he faced runners in scoring position while nursing a 1-0 lead. He got Jasen Ah Hoy on a fly to left and Ranson Aquino on a fly to center before getting Eli Oshiro on a grounder to third to strand the runners.

"That was huge for us," Saint Louis coach George Gusman said.

The right-handed Rego followed that feat by retiring Dylan Soto, pinch hitter Mason Oasay and Tyson Murakami each on one pitch.

"That's their philosophy," Gusman said of the aggressive-hitting Chargers. "The first guy swung, got him out, the next guy swung again, so we just threw the next one right down the middle and we got three outs with three pitches. We'll take it any day."

No one was more surprised than Rego.

"I wasn't expecting it to be three pitches," Rego said. "It worked out. I wasn't looking to getting three pitches. I was pretty surprised."

The Crusaders (15-3-1) scored in four different innings. They took a 1-0 lead on Ezekiel Ribuca's RBI double in the second; got a run on an RBI fielder's choice in the fourth; a wild pitch in the fifth and an RBI single by Nuu Contrades in the sixth.

Oshiro allowed three runs in four-plus innings. He was picked up by Drew Boyles, who allowed a run and two hits in two innings. At one point, Boyles struck out the first four batters he faced.

The Crusaders, though, will be without center fielder Sean Yamaguchi, who injured his thumb stealing second base in the fourth inning.

"It's his throwing hand," Gusman said. "If it was another finger, then maybe (he could play)."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].