HANAPEPE — A two-run homer by Presley Alcover in the sixth inning broke West Kaua‘i’s spirit as Mililani A went on to take a 7-3 win at the Bronco Regional Tournament yesterday at Hanapepe Stadium. Earlier, Aiea took a 10-1
HANAPEPE — A two-run homer by Presley Alcover in the sixth inning broke West Kaua‘i’s spirit as Mililani A went on to take a 7-3 win at the Bronco Regional Tournament yesterday at Hanapepe Stadium.
Earlier, Aiea took a 10-1 victory over KAC to set the stage for the championship game this morning starting at 10 a.m. at Hanapepe Stadium.
With the 7-3 victory, Mililani A will go up against Aiea for the right to represent Hawai‘i at the Bronco Zone Tournament in Olympia, Wash., July 29.
Mikeo Rita, working the mound for West Kaua‘i, toiled under the broiling sun at Hanapepe Stadium, giving up three runs on four hits up until the sixth inning.
Justin Revilla opened with a single to set the stage for Alcover’s home run to deep left field, driving Revilla across the plate to break a 3-3 deadlock with just one out.
West Kaua‘i could not recover, as Rita was replaced by Alika Emayo who went on to give up another two runs on seven hits for the rest of the contest.
Mililani A worked its mound, starting with Matt Sparks who gave up three runs on six hits through three innings. He was replaced by Keenan Sadanaga, who has family ties to Kilauea. Sadanaga finished the game allowing no runs and just two hits while striking out five WK batters and walking none.
Emayo singled to left to open for West Kaua‘i who was already chasing a run after Drake Yoshioka, singling to centerfield earlier, scored on a Sadanaga play.
Kendall Kaohi followed with another single, and Mililani errors moved the runners into scoring position for Mikeo Rita’s sacrifice bunt scoring Emayo for the 1-1 stalemate.
That got the fans going as both Mililani and WK supporters raised the roof of the grandstands. Bekki Malapit did her cheerleader routines to keep the purple shirts’ spirits up.
Mikey Rita and Emayo opened the third frame with hits to set the stage for Kaohi’s RBI single that scored both Mikey and Emayo.
With the adrenalin flowing, Kaohi stole second base, but got cut down on a rundown between second and third to end the threat after WK built up a 3-1 lead.
George Georgiev got a bunt single to open the fifth frame for Mililani. He went on to score on an RBI double from Reese Kato for the 3-2 deficit.
With one out, leadoff hitter Drake Yoshioka drove Kato home for the 3-3 tie until Alcover broke everything open in the sixth inning.
Mililani added two more runs in the seventh as Sadanaga, opening with a single, scored on a Revilla RBI double.
Revilla iced the win when he scored on a Jacob Mariano RBI single to right field.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
