Moanalua hangs on to defeat Pearl City, 5-3


Moanalua players celebrate a win over Pearl City to advance to the OIA Red title game. Greg Yamamoto | SL
WAIPAHU -- Austyn Nagamine pitched four innings of scoreless relief and Austin Inabata doubled in the go-ahead run in the sixth inning last night to help Moanalua edge Pearl City, 5-3, in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association baseball semifinals.

The defending champion Na Menehune improved to 11-3 in league play and will face Eastern Division rival Kailua (13-1) in today's 5:30 p.m. title game at historic Hans L'Orange Field. The Chargers fell to 8-6 and will host Kaiser (10-5) in today's 1 p.m. third-place game.

Moanalua scored three runs in the top of the first inning after back-to-back RBI singles by Nagamine and Bryson Yasui and Nolan Kometani's bases-loaded walk.

Pearl City got a run back in the bottom of the first on Kamalu Neal's run-scoring single to right, then tied it in the fourth after pinch runner Isaiah Aribal and Noah Derby scored on separate infield errors.

But Na Menehune regained the lead in the sixth after Kekoa Kaulukukui led off with a walk, stole second and scored on Inabata's double to right. Moanalua then got an insurance run in the seventh when Nagamine drew a bases-loaded walk with two outs.

The Chargers put runners at first and third with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but Nagamine struck out the next two batters to end the game. Nagamine, who started the game in center field, went 2 for 4 with two RBIs and struck out five batters with only one walk.

Yasui went 3 for 3 and Kaulukukui went 2 for 4.