Kaiser's Christian Reasoner runs down Aiea's Treyton Takamoto in an OIA Division I playoff game. Greg Yamamoto | SL

Purchase image 1 of 1

HAWAII KAI — It's the end of the road for the Na Alii baseball team after dropping an Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I Playoffs opening-round matchup, 9-5, to the East's fourth-seeded Kaiser Cougars.

Aiea ends its season at 5-8 while Kaiser (8-5) advances to the quarterfinals to take on the West's top-seeded Campbell Sabers (12-0) Thursday afternoon at 3 p.m. in Ewa Beach.

The Cougars combined for 15 hits in Wednesday afternoon's game on their home field at Kaiser High School. Two-thirds of their total came in a pair of innings each with five singles hit.

After falling behind 1-0 early in the game, Kaiser responded with five hits in the bottom of the first to plate three runners on the scoreboard.

Na Alii notched four of their nine total hits in the top frame of the third inning. Doubles from catcher Jake Nakamoto and center fielder Bronson Nekomoto brought in three runs to take a one-run lead. 

Kaiser responded by producing two runs in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to regain the lead and go up 9-5 for what would end up as the final score. 

Pono Lyman grabbed his third 'W' in his three-straight appearance on the mound for the Cougars, this time going five and two-thirds innings with four strikeouts while giving up three walks and five runs (three earned).

Jakey Nam came in for relief duties in the top of the sixth inning in a two-out bases loaded situation.

Aiea's Nakamoto was 2-for-2 with two RBIs up to that point, but he popped up to first base to leave the runners stranded.

In the top of the seventh, Nam walked a pair of batters but finished out the game with a strikeout to seal the win and his first save of the season.

Keoni Pangan and Kennedy Chun led the Cougars' offensive production with each hitting a double and going 3-for-4 with two and three runs batted in, respectively.

On the other side, Kobe Kato made his third start in six pitching appearances and will end his senior season with a 2-2 record after lasting four innings and giving up seven runs. Kato tried to start a comeback for the Na Alii with a leadoff home run in the top of the fifth, but it wouldn't be enough.

Nekomoto — the only other senior on the team — came in to relieve Kato in the bottom of the fifth.

With a win against Campbell on Thursday, Kaiser would earn one of the six OIA spots in the HHSAA D1 State Tournament. A loss would not eliminate the Cougars as they would play the loser of Kalani-Kapolei on Friday with the winner earning a state berth and a spot in the OIA fifth place game on Saturday.