Owls Shut Out Crusaders
ILH Baseball
Published: 03/15/2008
by Jim Oshiro for Digital Sports Hawaii
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 killing, 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.
(Stats from Gail Juan) @ IOLANI VISITOR: Mid-Pac HOME: St. Louis Visitor: 1 0 3 0 0 0 0 4 9 1 Home: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 Visitor Pitcher: Matthew McDaniel Visitor Catcher: Aaron Fujiki Home Pitcher: Kyle Gonzaga, Kamakani Usui (6) Visitor Catcher: Keoni Haina Winning Pitcher: Matthew McDaniel Losing Pitcher: Kyle Gonzaga Save: Visitor Leading Hitters: Bryson Chang: 2 runs Easton Torigoe: 2-3 Michael Nagamine: 2-2, 2 rbi Derek Tan: double, 2 rbi Home Leading Hitters: none McDaniel struck out 7 batters...... walked 3 batters....... pitched a complete game.
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