Waialae WINS 2024-25 Oahu AJA Baseball League CHAMPIONSHIP!
Waialae beat Waipahu 8 to 5 in the 10am morning game to force a winner take all Championship game in the 1pm afternoon matchup then won the afternoon game 7 to 6 on Sunday (3/9/25) at the Ala Wai behind the heroic iron man pitching and hitting performance of Waialae’s Jordan Kurokawa who saved the 1st game with 1 1/3 scoreless relief innings then pitched a complete 9 inning game while getting 5 hits on the day as Waialae won the 2024-25 Oahu AJA Baseball League’s Championship.
In the 1st game, Waialae faced the League’s premier strikeout pitcher Justice Yamashita, who had struck out 84 batters in 39 regular season innings. Waialae managed to score 8 runs on 10 hits against him. Waialae jumped out early by scoring on the legs of lead off batter Dray Ito as he singled, took second on a slight misplay of his hit, stole 3rd base and scored on a passed ball. Waialae opened their lead with 3 runs in the 3rd inning as Kyle Watase delivered a big 2 out 3 rbi double to clear the loaded bases. Waialae starting pitcher Mark Okano kept Waipahu scoreless until the 5th when Waipahu scored 2 runs on a long 2 rbi double by Revan Wong to make the score 4 to 2. Waialae answered in the bottom of the 5th, as Kurokawa hit a triple to deep centerfield then scored on a groundout. Waipahu kept up the pressure by scoring a run in the 6th inning on 2 singles and a rbi sacrifice fly by Derek Costigan. Waialae widened their lead by scoring 3 runs in the 6th inning on 4 hits, highlighted by rbi singles from Jordan Murai and Kurokawa. Waipahu mounted a rally in the 8th inning by loading the bases on 2 walks and a hit by pitch with 2 outs against Okano. With the top of the batting order coming to bat and the tying run at the plate, Kurokawa entered in relief, after giving up a 2 rbi single to leadoff batter Logan Salcedo. However, Kurokawa got out of further trouble by getting out of the inning and earned the save by getting double play in the 9th inning to quench any thought of a Waipahu rally. Waialae starting pitcher Okano earned the win, pitching 7 2/3 innings, throwing 144 pitches, giving up 7 hits while striking out 5 with 6 walk/hit by pitch. Kurokawa earned the save with 1 and 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Waialae got 2 hits each from Kurokawa, Dray Ito and Jordan Murai. Waipahu was led by Ritchie Higa and Kamalu Neal with 2 hits each. Waipahu’s starting pitcher Yamashita struck out 10, throwing 163 pitches in 8 innings, giving up 10 hits and 4 walks.
In the afternoon’s Championship game, Kurokawa threw 156 pitches, in addition to 14 from the earlier game, in a complete game 9 inning pitching performance to hold off hard hitting Waipahu while Waipahu starting pitcher Skyler Yamamoto threw 136 pitches in a matching complete game performance. Kurokawa kept the game close as Waipahu scored early and often with runs in 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th innings on rbi hits from Zach Kometani, Kamalu Neal, Derek Costigan and Tyler Hanzawa but left the bases loaded in the 1st and 2nd innings. but Waialae tied the game at 2 to 2 in the 2nd with rbi base hits from David Chu and Dray Ito and 2 Waipahu errors. Kurokawa managed to keep Waipahu scoreless in the 5th through 8th innings to allow Waialae to peck away with runs in the 3rd, 5th and 6th innings on rbi hits from Brayden Mitsunami, Okano and a rbi sacrifice fly by Gavin Okada to tie the game at 5 to 5. Waialae took the lead in the 7th by scoring 2 runs on a rbi double by Nitahara and a hustling rbi fielder choice by Ito. Kurokawa held off a furious Waipahu rally in the 9th inning as Waipahu loaded the bases with no outs, Kurokawa earned the win by getting the last 3 outs on a groundout, strikeout and strikeout to shut down the Waipahu rally and put an end to a thrilling day of intense Championship AJA baseball. Waialae collected 15 hits, led by Kurokawa and Okano with 3 hits each. Waipahu was led by Chevas Numata, Tyler Hanzawa and Revan Wong with 3 hits each.
In addition to gutsy complete pitching performances by Waialae’s Jordan Kurokawa (11 1/3 innings, 170 pitches), Waipahu’s Justice Yamashita (complete game 8 innings, 163 pitches ), Skyler Yamamoto (complete game 8 innings, 136 pitches) and Mark Okano (7 1/3 innings, 144 pitches), most Waialae and Waipahu starting players played 18 innings for the day, highlighted by catchers, Waipahu’s Kramer Aoki and Waialae’s Tyler Nitahara who caught all the innings of both games. It should be noted that Waipahu pitcher Skyler Yamamoto had pitched a complete 9 inning 136 pitch game win against Waialae on the previous Sunday (3/2/25) as did Waialae pitcher Mark Okano, who also pitched a complete 9 inning 151 pitch game on that same Sunday against Waipahu.
Jordan Kurokawa after leading Waialae to the 2025 Oahu Championship with a clutch Tournament Sunday performance.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 Triumph Over Waipahu AJA 2024-25
By GameChanger Media
Waialae AJA 2024-25 were victorious against Waipahu AJA 2024-25 8-5 on Sunday at Ala Wai.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 got on the board in the first inning after a passed ball scored one run.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 added three runs in the third after Kyle Watase doubled down the right field line.
Mark Okano earned the win for Waialae AJA 2024-25. The starting pitcher surrendered seven hits and five runs over seven and two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking five. Justice Yamashita took the loss for Waipahu AJA 2024-25. The starter went eight innings, giving up eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits, striking out 10 and walking four. Jordan Kurokawa collected the save.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 collected 10 hits in the game. Watase drove the middle of the lineup, leading Waialae AJA 2024-25 with three runs batted in. The infielder went 1-for-4 on the day. Drayson Ito, Jordan Murai, and Kurokawa each collected two hits for Waialae AJA 2024-25. Ito stole three bases. Waialae AJA 2024-25 stole six bases in the game. Waialae AJA 2024-25 turned one double play in the game. Waialae AJA 2024-25 were sure-handed and didn’t commit a single error. Watase made the most plays with eight.
Waipahu AJA 2024-25 accumulated nine hits in the game. Ritchie Higa and Kamalu Neal each collected two hits for Waipahu AJA 2024-25. Revan Wong and Logan Salcedo each drove in two runs for Waipahu AJA 2024-25.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 Claim Victory Over Waipahu AJA 2024-25
By GameChanger Media
Waialae AJA 2024-25 ousted Waipahu AJA 2024-25 7-6 on Sunday at Ala Wai.
Waipahu AJA 2024-25 got on the board in the first inning after Zach Kometani singled, scoring one run.
A fielder’s choice by Ritchie Higa extended the Waipahu AJA 2024-25 lead to 2-0 in the top of the second inning.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 tied the game in the bottom of the second thanks to a double by David Chu, and a single by Drayson Ito.
Waipahu AJA 2024-25 jumped back into the lead in the top of the third inning after Kamalu Neal doubled to center field, and Derek Costigan singled to the right side of the infield, each scoring one run.
Gavin Okada hit a sacrifice fly, which helped Waialae AJA 2024-25 tie the game at five in the bottom of the sixth.
In the bottom of the seventh, Waialae AJA 2024-25 broke up the tie when Tyler Nitahara doubled, scoring one run. Then a fielder’s choice by Ito followed to extend the lead to 7-5.
Jordan Kurokawa earned the win for Waialae AJA 2024-25. The pitcher surrendered 17 hits and six runs over nine innings, striking out seven and walking three. Skyler Yamamoto took the loss for Waipahu AJA 2024-25. The starter went eight innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on 15 hits, striking out three and walking two.
Waialae AJA 2024-25 collected 15 hits in the game. Mark Okano and Kurokawa each collected three hits for Waialae AJA 2024-25. Ito led Waialae AJA 2024-25 with two runs batted in. The infielder went 2-for-5 on the day. Chu collected two hits for Waialae AJA 2024-25 in three at bats. Waialae AJA 2024-25 turned one double play in the game.
Waipahu AJA 2024-25 collected 17 hits in the game. Neal led Waipahu AJA 2024-25 with two runs batted in from the number seven spot in the lineup. The right fielder went 1-for-5 on the day. Chevas Numata, Tyler Hanzawa, and Revan Wong each collected three hits for Waipahu AJA 2024-25. Kometani, Costigan, and Higa each collected multiple hits for Waipahu AJA 2024-25. Higa stole two bases. Waipahu AJA 2024-25 turned two double plays in the game.
