Owls Shut Out Crusaders

Matthew McDaniel tossed a 3-hit shutout,  while
Michael Nagamine and Derek Tan each drove in two runs,
as the Mid Pacific Owls toppled the St. Louis Crusaders
in ILH league play, 4-0, at Iolani.

McDaniel used an assortment of fastballs and breaking
balls to keep the Crusaders in check, and going the
distance for the victory.   McDaniel allowed a total of just
seven base runners, with only one of them getting as far
as third base.  McDaniel fanned seven batters and walked
three.     All of his strikeouts, in fact, occured during a 
stretch in which the left-hander retired 8 of 9 hitters.  
McDaniel would finish the game retiring 14 of the last 17
batters he would face.

Crusader starter Kyle Gonzaga started the game strong in
the top of the first inning.  The right-hander struck out the
first two Owl hitters ,before giving up a walk to Aaron Fujiki.
Easton Torigoe would then single, putting runners at first
and second.  Torigoe would go 2-for-4.   Nagamine, the Owls
designated hitter, followed with a single to left.  Bryson Chang,
the courtesy runner for Fujiki, came across to plate to score
and give the Owls an early 1-0 lead.

St. Louis would threaten in the bottom of the second. 
McDaniel walked Cole Shidaki to lead off.   Keoni Haina
then sacrificed Shidaki to second.    Kaden Kamae
reached on an error, putting runners at first and second with
one out.    Lucas Gonsalves then singled up the middle. 
Shidaki was held at third, loading the bases for Grant Gabriel.
McDaniel, however, was able to induce Gabriel to hit a ground
ball to second baseman Russell Doi, who promptly tagged
Gonsalves going by, then threw out Gabriel at first to
complete the twin *******,  and get McDaniel out of a jam.

The Owls would respond with three runs in the top of the
third inning.  With one out, Fujiki would single off Gonzaga. 
Courtesy runner Chang would move to second on a wild pitch. Torigoe
proceeded to reach on an error, putting runners at first and second.   Nagamine would then get his second base hit and his second RBI,
driving in Chang with a single to left.  Tan followed by drilling a double
to deep center, scoring Torigoe, as well as Nagamine all the way from
first base.    MPI now led 4-0.

Gonzaga would settle down after that.   He was later relieved by
Kamakani Usui in the sixth inning.  Gonzaga would give up nine
hits and strike out three, in five innings of work.   Usui finished
up the game for the Crusaders, pitching two shutout innings and
retiring all six batters he faced.   

Meanwhile, McDaniel would continue to frustrate the Crusaders and
keep them quiet for most of the afternoon.  Gonsalves, Gonzaga, and
pinch hitter Jordan Fukumoto would be the only St. Louis players to manage a base hit off the Owl hurler.

MPI improves their record to 3-0 on the season, while St.Louis falls
to 2-1.