Moanalua moves to 8-0 by sweeping Kaiser, 16-4, 12-2

Moanalua infielder Tim Arakawa makes a leaping throw against Kaiser. Brien Ing | SL

Moanalua pounded Kaiser pitching for a total of 28 hits yesterday in sweeping the Cougars, 16-4 and 12-2 in O'ahu Interscholastic Association baseball action.

The doubleheader road victories improved Na Menehune to 8-0 in the OIA Red Conference Eastern Division; the Cougars fell to 3-5.

Kamalu Kamoku went 4 for 4 with a monster home run and four RBIs in the second game, and Bronson Shim and James Higa also homered.

Moanalua jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by Kamoku's RBI single, Bronson Shim's two-run homer over the right field fence and Higa's three-run blast to center.

Na Menehune made it 8-0 in the second on Kamoku's towering two-run shot over a 25-foot-high fence in left field.

Kaiser closed it to 8-2 in the fourth after RBI doubles from Kaipo Oamilda-Scholtz and Ryan Kano, but Moanalua answered with three runs in the fifth on Kamoku's run-scoring single and sacrifice flies by Tim Arakawa and Shim.

Todd Takabuki allowed only three hits and no earned runs in five innings to earn the win.

"We have 12 seniors, we're a senior-led team," Na Menehune coach Scott Yamada said.

In the first game, Moanalua built a 5-0 lead over the first three innings before exploding for five runs in the fourth. Austin Inabata, Regan Lum and Higa each hit home runs and starting pitcher Shim pitched four shutout innings to earn the victory.

Oamilda had a two-run double in the fifth for Kaiser.