Trojans reach D-II final

St. Anthony needs one more win for first-ever state team title in any sport

By ROBERT COLLIAS, Staff Writer
WAIPIO, Oahu — Perhaps it was the performance of Joshua Hansen that summed it up the best.

The little-used senior reliever struggled early in his three-inning stint for the St. Anthony High School baseball team Friday night at Central Oahu Regional Park.

Then, the 5-foot-11, 136-pound right-hander settled down to help push the Trojans to their first state final in any team sport after an 11-5 win over Kalaheo.

Hansen gave up three runs in the fourth inning after relieving freshman Trevor Ventura — as the Mustangs crept within 6-4 — but after that put up zeroes in the fifth and sixth as the Trojans pulled away.

St. Anthony will face Kauai, an 8-0 winner over Molokai on Friday, in the Wally Yonamine Foundation State Championships Division II final today at 4 p.m. in a game that will be televised statewide on OC-16.

‘‘That was the biggest game I have ever pitched in, no doubt,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘My slider wasn’t working too well, so I just tried to throw fastballs on the outside corner and it worked. I wanted to jam them inside. I had to battle, but it worked.’’

Hansen pitched three innings for the second game in a row at the state tournament for the second-seeded Trojans. He did not allow a run in finishing a 9-1 win over Maryknoll on Thursday to pick up the save.

The Mustangs (12-4) proved to be harder to put away, but after they climbed within 6-4, Hansen was effective enough. He allowed a single hit in each of the fifth and sixth innings, but no more runs.

The Trojans (13-2) scored five runs in the bottom of the third to go in front 6-1, but that was answered by the Mustangs’ three-run fourth.

The Trojans retook command of the game with a three runs in the bottom of the fourth and added two more in the sixth. Kalaheo scored a run and loaded the bases in the seventh before Aronne Santos closed the door.

Santos, Michael Jahns, Ryan Rodriguez and Matt McCraney all had a pair of hits for the Trojans and combined to score seven of their runs. Santos had a triple and Rodriguez had a pair of doubles to lead St. Anthony’s 12-hit attack.

Santos came in to pitch the seventh after Hansen told coach Shane Dudoit that he was done.

‘‘What an amazing job by Josh Hansen,’’ Dudoit said. ‘‘That is what we have been looking for from him all season. He has provided the middle relief we needed all year here at the state tournament. Hansen was awesome, unbelievable tonight.’’

With players and fans from top-seeded Kauai watching the last three innings of the Trojans’ win, St. Anthony showed the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champions that they will have their hands full today at Les Murakami Stadium.

‘‘We thought it would be us and St. Anthony in the final from the beginning,’’ Kauai coach Hank Ibia said. ‘‘Those two are clearly the best two teams in the D-II bracket.’’

Dudoit said that Jahns, the 2007 Maui Interscholastic League Player of the Year, will draw the start today. Jahns, who has a 13-2 record on the mound the last two seasons, was the winner on Thursday before saving his arm when Hansen came in.

The Northwestern University signee has nine innings to use today by state-tournament rule, if needed.

‘‘He is the guy we want out there,’’ Dudoit said.

The closest the Trojans ever came to a team state title was in 1999 when Shane Victorino, now playing for the Philadelphia Phillies, nearly led the track and field team to a crown by winning the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dashes at Yamamoto Track & Field Facility.

Now, in the first year of Division II baseball, the Trojans are one win away.

‘‘It’s huge,’’ Dudoit said. ‘‘For the school, for the community, for everybody associated with St. Anthony. I’m proud of these boys no matter what happens. It is their team and they deserve whatever comes their way.’’

The Mustangs struck first in the top of the second when No. 9 hitter Sheldon Kalai knocked an RBI single to left.

The Trojans answered in the bottom of the second on an RBI triple by Aaron Uehara.

It looked like it might be an easy night for the Trojans when they erupted for five runs in the third, highlighted by a triple from Santos and a double from Rodriguez.

After the Mustangs got within 6-4, the Trojans answered with their three-run fourth, highlighted by another double by Rodriguez.

Then it was Hansen’s turn to come up big. He pumped his fist with every strike and ended the sixth with a strikeout of Kalaheo’s Aaron Fernandez.

‘‘St. Anthony is a very good team — they are well-coached, they run the bases well, and play great defense — but we helped them out by being tentative at a lot of fastball strikes,’’ Kalaheo coach Tim Lierman said. ‘‘They played better than we did tonight.’’

• Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

ST. ANTHONY 11, KALAHEO 5 Kalaheo	010	300	1— 5	6	3
St. Anthony	015	302	x—11	10	0

Aaron Fernandez, Steve Vega (3), Sean Ouchi (6) and Lawaika Bator. Trevor Ventura, Joshua Hansen (4), Arrone Santos (7) and Aaron Uehara. W—Ventura. L—Fernandez.

3B—K, Alika Kaanapu; SA, Santos, Uehara.



PUNAHOU 9, MAUI HIGH 0

Maui High	000	000	0—0	3	4
Punahou	221	112	x—9	10	0

Peter Ibanez, Alika Aheong (3) and Jordan Inamasu. Jeremy Fujimoto and Zachary Kometani. W—Fujimoto. L—Ibanez.

3B—MH, Justin Fontanilla.