Crusaders knock off Rough Riders in mercy-rule finish

Rayden Aoki | SL

MANOA - Shannon Fee and Jonah Brub combined on a two-hitter and No. 2 Saint Louis downed Roosevelt, 10-0, in a game shortened to five innings because of the 10-run differential mercy rule in Tuesday's night opening round of the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I baseball tournament.

The Crusaders (15-7) will take on third-seeded Kailua in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal Wednesday at Les Murakami Stadium.

Winning pitcher Fee allowed a lead-off single to Travis Terayama in the bottom of the first inning, but he was quickly erased when Brayden Moy hit a grounder to second that turned into a double play. Fee then struck out Dominic Texeira to end the inning. Fee allowed two runners in the second inning on walk to Brayden Higa and single by Mackenzie Doi, but stranded them. Fee walked Bryson Rubio to start the third, but retired the next six in a row, as the Crusaders kept adding to their lead. Up 10-0 entering the bottom of the fifth, Brub, a freshman, retired the side in order, striking out two to end the game.

Meanwhile, the Crusaders jumped on Roosevelt staritng pitcher Nathaniel Kurano for two runs in each of the first two inninbgs.Three errors led to two unearned runs. Kurano was saddled with the loss.

The Rough Riders (10-6) brought in Xavier Pressley to start the third and he did not fare any better, allowing six runs, five earned,, five hits and three walks in three innings of work.

Tanner Chun's three-run double to left in the third inning broke open the game for the Crudaders, who took an 8-0 lead. An RBI double by Mana Heffernan and two errors on a pick-off play scored the 10th run.

With the cancelation of the consolation bracket games, Roosevelt's season is over.