WAIMEA — The Menehune redeemed its 8-7 heartbreaking loss to Kaua‘i by sweeping its Saturday doubleheader against Kapa‘a, 15-3, 18-0 at the Waimea Canyon Park. Waimea pitcher Shelley Koerte allowed just three runs to Kapa‘a and limited Warrior bats to
WAIMEA — The Menehune redeemed its 8-7 heartbreaking loss to Kaua‘i by sweeping its Saturday doubleheader against Kapa‘a, 15-3, 18-0 at the Waimea Canyon Park.
Waimea pitcher Shelley Koerte allowed just three runs to Kapa‘a and limited Warrior bats to just five hits in Game 1 and four hits in Game 2, while striking out a total of six Warrior hitters and walking just one.
On the other side of the page, Menehune bats unleashed three home runs, one in Game 1 and two in Game 2, en route to its victories as freshman centerfielder Ulu Matagiese capped her 3 for 4, Game 1 showing in the box with a two-run homer to center field in the fifth inning to ice the game.
In that 15-3 win, Waimea piled up eight hits with Matagiese leading the charge.
Menehune catcher Kawehi Ephan finished 2 for 4 in Game 1 and came back in Game 2 with a 3 for 4 showing, including two home runs — one in the third and the other in the fourth.
She also added a double as Waimea piled up 15 hits for its 18 runs.
Kapa‘a’s Ta’ashi Napoleon suffered the loss in both games.
The Warriors, strapped with injuries which depleted their dugout, opened strong in Game 1 as leadoff hitter Kori Kimura, playing catcher Saturday, doubled and went on to score along with Marley Bukoski, who got aboard on an error and scored before Koerte settled down.
Napoleon was strong on the mound at that point, nursing a 2-0 Kapa‘a lead before things got shaky in the third inning when MarieBeth Watanabe got aboard on a walk with two outs, followed by Kali walking. An error got Ephan aboard and Matagiese doubled to clear the bags before the final Menehune flied out.
From that point, Waimea never looked back, capitalizing on Kapa‘a pitching for 11 runs in the fifth inning of Game 1 with no outs.
The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation enters its final round of play Wednesday when Kapa‘a travels to Isenberg Field for a single game against Kaua‘i starting at 5:30 p.m.
