HANAPEPE Brandon Hirokane drew a bases-loaded walk off Kalaheo starter Kaina McCallum to force in Allan Mundon and cap a five-run rally in the bottom of the ninth frame to lift Kapa`a to an exciting 8-7 decision over the Kaneshiro Farms ball club Sunday afternoon at the Hanapepe Ball Park..
What started as a nail-biting pitching duel between McCallum and Kapa`a starter Owen Koishigawa turned into a sudden 5-1 Kalaheo seventh inning edge on home run blasts by McCallum, Troy Kaneshiro, and Keola McCallum.
Kapa`a edged back to within two on run-scoring singles by Evan Gibson and Robin Lore in the home half before Kalaheo extended the lead to 7-3 with solo runs in the eighth and ninth frames.
Mundon also picked up the win with 2-1/3 innings of 4-hit relief.
Leading the Kapa`a offensive attack were Gordon Muramaru (2-4), Ikaika Pezario (2-5, double), and Mundon (2-5).
Pacing Kalaheo with multiple hits were Kaneshiro (2-4, 3 RBIs), Liko Perreira (2-5), Kaina McCallum (4-5, 2 RBIs), and Dave Bukoski (2-4).
Hanapepe 22 Lihu`e 8
The Rivermen kept pace with 26 hits off four Builder pitchers to end the nightcap after seven innings of play.
Hanapepe built up a 19-0 advantage before Lihu`e countered with eight runs in the home half of the fourth.
Winning hurler Levi Maeda started the contest for Hanapepe and received relief help from Kellen Naka`ahiki and closer Edd Yamase in limiting Lihu`e to four hits.
Leading hitters for the Rivermen included Dean Nonaka (3-4, 2 runs), Vincent Nitta (3-4, 2 runs), Derrick Lincoln (3-6, 4 runs, 3 RBIs), Wendall Nonaka (4-5, 4 runs, 4 RBIs), Kelly Robinson (4-5, double, 2 runs, 4 RBIs), Troy Yamase (3-6, 2 runs, 4 RBIs), Clifford Matsusaka (2-4, 2 RBIs), Rusell Ijima (3-5, 2 RBIs), and Leroy Nonaka (solo home run).
Dan Tanimoto doubled and Ahren Kaneshiro (2-RBI single) and Kevin Mercado (pair of bases-loaded walks) drove in a pair of runs for the Builders.
In the previous weekends action at the Vidinha Stadium diamond, Hanapepe overcame Lihu`e by a 13-3 margin in seven innings and Kapa`a outscored Kalaheo 9-3.
Kapa`a and Hanapepe currently sit atop the league standings with identical 4-1 records and are followed by Makaweli (2-2), Kalaheo (2-3), and Lihu`e (0-5).
The Indians host Hanapepe in next Sundays 10 a.m. opener at the Hanapepe Ball Park while Lihu`e and Kapa`a battle in the 1 p.m. game.
