Maryknoll's Phillip Aylward heads for home against Kamehameha-Hawaii. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Maryknoll's Jason Nakamura makes contact with a pitch against Kamehameha-Hawaii. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Maryknoll's Chase Uyema threw a four-hit shutout to earn the victory against Kamehameha-Hawaii. Sylvia Lee | SL

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Maryknoll players celebrate the second state title in school history. Sylvia Lee | SL

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The Maryknoll Spartans tallied up 10 runs on 10 hits in the third inning en route to a 14-0, victory over the Kamehameha-Hawaii Warriors, in the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division II Championship game at Hans L'Orange Field on Saturday night. The win marked the second title in Division II baseball for the Spartans; the last time they won it was in 2009 over Kauai.

"I'm glad for the boys, I'm proud of the boys; they came a long way" exclaimed Maryknoll head coach Randy Yamashiro. "It's a personal journey that they took. It just epitomizes what they sacrificed, what they worked for, and what they learned. Now you see young men and I'm proud of them."
 
The Spartans were held scoreless in the first two innings before the 10 run outing in the third. They also later plated four more runs in the fifth for the final total.

 The difference between the non-scoring innings and the ones that produced runs? Senior left fielder Conner Donahue, the last man in the batting order.

"It's been one helluva journey," said Donahue. "We had a lot of ups and downs. I was coming off the bench for three years, so being able to lead my team this year was a very touching moment for me."

Donahue was the offensive spark that the Spartans needed to break the game wide open. His lead-off base hit into shallow center field started off a third inning where the Warrior defense faced a grand total of 15 at-bats. Donahue went 2 for 3 at bat and finished with three runs scored, and two RBI's.

"Coach classifies me as the second lead-off hitter," explained Donahue. "I was looking to get on base and first pitch was a middle, kind of inside fastball, and I'm not much of an inside hitter, so when he threw me that change up outside, I took advantage of it and hit it up the middle."

The 6:00 p.m. title game started off with some stellar defensive plays from both teams. Kamehameha-Hawaii's Matthew Chun made a leaping catch in deep left field to secure the out and Maryknoll's third baseman Philip Aylward was in perfect position for a ground ball that led to an easy out at first.

Then the fireworks show happened.

Trevor Hirano and Donahue had back to back hits to start the third inning offensively for the Spartans. Catcher Neal Nakasone and designated hitter Justin Ushio had RBI's to bring Hirano and Donahue home to make the score 2-0.

Kamehameha-Hawaii would get the second out of the inning after Ushio's RBI, and it seemed like the Warriors would escape the inning with only giving up two runs. If only securing that last out was so easy.

On the following at-bat, Spartan Brent Hironaga was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded for Warrior pitcher Alika Young and company. Aylward made the Warriors pay on the next at bat and the rest was history.

Maryknoll scored eight runs on seven hits before Kamehameha-Hawaii got that third and final out to send it to the bottom of the third with the score 10-0, in favor of the Spartans.

"Sometimes the ball bounces a certain way, that's baseball," said Yamashiro. "I was so surprised that it was bouncing that way and going between them."

The Warriors were unable to score in the bottom of the third but would get two more innings because the 10 run mercy rule is only in effect after five innings.

Unfortunately for Kamehameha-Hawaii, the only more scoring that would be done was from the opposing team and Maryknoll went on to win the title.

"It just wasn't our day," lamented Kamehameha-Hawaii head coach Andrew Correra. "Lot of in between balls that fell in and cost us runs. They hit the ball hard a few times that inning, but pretty much was balls that we couldn't do anything about."

While the offense was cooking in the third and fifth inning, the Spartan defense was productive all throughout the game. Despite giving up four hits, no runs were scored on the starting pitcher Chayse Uyema and the Maryknoll defense. Uyema pitched three strikeouts, while only walking one to preserve the shutout.
 
"Lately after the past few games that I pitched, they always had my back," Uyema said off his defense. "Today they really stepped up their game and helped me out. We worked so hard and I'm so proud."

Donahue also had a key defensive play in the fifth inning when he turned on the jets from deep left field to make the catch preventing a base hit.

"Coming in the coaches told me that Kamehameha's a pretty good hitting team," said Donahue. "I was playing pretty far back. (When the batter hit the ball) I saw the ball off the bat pretty clearly and I thought it was going far. Turns out my center fielder helped me out telling me to go in, so I was trying to get there and I was able to pull it off."

A bright spot offensively for the Warriors was off the bat of Bronson Pulgados who went 2 for 2 at bat with two base hits.

Despite getting shut-out, Correra remained proud of his team and focused on the positives.

"I wasn't disappointed in their performance," said Correra. "There is a learning experience for everything. Failure is just part of the process of playing sports. We still had a very good season and I'm very happy of the way they performed."

As Correra alluded to, there is only one winner in sports and the victory couldn't be any more gratifying to Maryknoll and coach Yamashiro.

"From young boys, they turned into young men tonight," said Yamashiro. "All that stuff that we preach and talk about is to be a young professional. What they learned, not just a championship, but they'll take it for the rest of their lives. I can sleep at night (knowing that), and I'm just so proud of them."

Division II All-Tournament Team (selected by HHSAA staff)

1B – Nick Tabura, Kapa'a
2B – Chad Teshima, Kamehameha-Hawaii
3B – Phil Aylward, Maryknoll
SS – Trevor Hirano, Maryknoll
OF – Brent Hironaga, Maryknoll
OF – Kileona Manzano, Konawaena
OF – Brayden Willing-McCutcheon, Molokai
C – Wayne Silva, Wai'anae
P – Chase Uyema, Maryknoll
P – Tavita Lalau, Wai'anae
DH – Justin Ushio, Maryknoll
U – Sheaven Delima-Ferreira, Wai‘anae

Most Outstanding Player: Chase Uyema, Maryknoll