The Kaua‘i High School softball team redeemed its 9-8 heartbreaking loss, Wednesday with back-to-back wins over Kapa‘a, Saturday at the New Kapa‘a Town Park. The Red Raiders staved off an 8-6 Warrior challenge following four innings of play in Game
The Kaua‘i High School softball team redeemed its 9-8 heartbreaking loss, Wednesday with back-to-back wins over Kapa‘a, Saturday at the New Kapa‘a Town Park.
The Red Raiders staved off an 8-6 Warrior challenge following four innings of play in Game 1 with four runs in the fifth frame en route to a 13-7 win and followed that victory with a 9-3 win in Game 2.
Melina Obar (2-3), Ta’ashi Napoleon (2-4), Ka‘anoi Marshall (2-4) and Nahea Querto (2-4) paced the Kapa‘a offense which outhit Kaua‘i, 11 hits to eight in Game 1 when Kapa‘a pushed a pair of runs in the fourth inning to pull to within a pair of runs, 6-8.
Obar opened the frame with a walk and stole second base. Larae’ Ho‘opi‘i reached first on an error but was taken out on a fielder’s choice off Kalia Kaui’s bat, Kaui advancing to second base on a passed ball.
With two outs, Obar finally crossed on a Napoleon RBI single to leftfield, Tyra Rapozo taking the basepads as a courtesy runner.
Marshall followed with an RBI single to centerfield to push Kaui home before the final batter went down swinging.
But Kaua‘i answered with four runs on three hits and capitalizing on four Kapa‘a miscues to stay in control from the top of the fifth inning.
Ka‘a La‘amea, being called on to close for Naja Pungan in the second game, finished with the hot bat for Kaua‘i, scoring twice in two games while conking five hits and driving in five runs.
Pungan, pitching in two games, finished by scoring once and getting four hits with three RBI over two games.
Kyana Hirokane, the versatile infielder, finished Game 1 by scoring four times, getting two hits and two RBI, following that by scoring one in Game 2 on one hit.
Malu Hornos, one of the effective batters against Waimea, Wednesday, was held to just two hits on eight at-bats in Kapa‘a.
Adriana Medeiros, getting an RBI on no hits in Game 1, finished Game 2 by scoring one run, getting two hits and an RBI. Moana Waipa had a hit and an RBI and Teesha Tani scored once, got two hits and an RBI in Game 2.
Kaui and Leilani Caspillo topped the Kapa‘a bats in Game 2 with two hits apiece in Kapa‘a’s total of six hits.
Kaui and Caspillo also each scored once and marked an RBI.
Ho‘opi‘i scored once and had a hit and Pristian Fejeder finished with a hit and an RBI.
Pungan picks up the win on the hill, improving to 6-1 on the season while Napoleon suffered the losses, dropping to 0-10.
With the win, Kaua‘i improves to 8-2 on the season while Kapa‘a, dropping to 0-11, travels to Waimea Canyon Park to take on Waimea (7-2) in a single game, Wednesday starting at 5:30 p.m.
Kapa‘a will be playing its final game of the season and if Waimea wins, the Menehune and Red Raiders will be tied with 8-2 records entering the Saturday double-header at Isenberg Park.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
