KAPA‘A — Tysen Cremer finished with two of the Kapa‘a hits in the first game, but the Warriors couldn’t capitalize as they dropped their first game 2-0 before rebounding to a 4-1 win in game two as the Kaua‘i Interscholastic
KAPA‘A — Tysen Cremer finished with two of the Kapa‘a hits in the first game, but the Warriors couldn’t capitalize as they dropped their first game 2-0 before rebounding to a 4-1 win in game two as the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation (KIF) opened its 2004 baseball season at the Ron Martin Field punctuated by shower squalls and spiced by biting winds.
Kirby Yates went the distance in the first contest, holding the Warriors to just three hits while striking out four and allowing three walks as Kaua‘i settled for the shutout behind a pair of unearned runs in the second inning, Sam Dias, one of back-to-back walks issued in the frame, and Shannon Oketani, whose hit scored Dias, crossing the plate for Raider points.
Kai Lopez picked up the loss in the opening game with five hits allowed on seven walks and striking out a pair of Raider hitters.
Chasing a run through four innings, Kapa‘a churned four runs across the plate behind RBI’s from Cremer and Ashcon Kuhaulua to overtake Kaua‘i 4-1 in game two.
Kaua‘i’s only run came in the opening stanza as an RBI triple from Garen Itamura crossed Shawn Ogata.
Moses Punzal went the distance for Kapa‘a, picking up the win with four hits allowed while striking out four Kaua‘i batters.
The win was special for new baseball head coach Destry Carvalho who was appointed to the program following the Warriors’ Winter Break, some speculating that the appointment came a little late for Carvalho to do anything.
But, Carvalho amassed a staff of assistants including Thomas Awong, Jon Blaylock, Nathan Kupihea, and Robert Merkel, and despite not hosting the Ron Martin Tournament this year, and a shaky start at the 21st Annual Waimea High School Invitational Baseball Tournament recently, made a strong showing on the field for the KIF opener as they held the defending champion Kaua‘i High School squad to just five hits and two unearned runs in the first game, and four hits and a run in the second game.
Alec Reichle, slated to be one of Kaua‘i’s starting pitchers, was at the game with his family, his injured leg bound in a cast, and Reichle arriving on crutches. But, the senior pitcher is not ruling out sitting out the season as he optimistically looks ahead at the time line for his recovery.
Waimea head coach Nelson Mendonca was also in attendance with his battery of assistants Kelly Robinson and Vincent Parongao as the new coaching staff of the Menehune look ahead towards Wednesday.
Kapa‘a travels to the Hanapepe Stadium on Wednesday, Mar. 24 when Waimea opens their season with a single afternoon game starting at 2:45 p.m.
That game will be broadcast live on KQNG Am 570 by “Anahola” Joel Pahukula starting at 2:35 p.m.
KIF BASEBALL SCORES
Kaua`i 2, Kapa‘a 0
Kapa‘a 4, Kaua‘i 1
