LIHU‘E — Waimea High School swept its double-header over Kaua‘i High School to clinch the 2013 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation softball title Tuesday afternoon at Isenberg Park. The Menehune needed one of the two games to lock up the title, but
LIHU‘E — Waimea High School swept its double-header over Kaua‘i High School to clinch the 2013 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation softball title Tuesday afternoon at Isenberg Park.
The Menehune needed one of the two games to lock up the title, but following an 18-3 opener, closed the night with a 6-5 edge.
The game was originally scheduled for April 13, but was rained out, and re-scheduled for Monday. Rain and the threat of thunderstorms and flooding moved the game to Tuesday afternoon.
Deannalynn Tafiti picked up the win on both games, going five innings in the opener with just four hits allowed for three runs while striking out one and walking one.
Kyana Hirokane, getting two of the four hits, led the Kaua‘i hitting with a two-run homer in the opening inning, driving Kirra Jaquias, singling first, for the 2-1 go-ahead.
Jaquias singled again in the third and scored her second run on a Hirokane RBI triple, accounting for the four Kaua‘i hits and three runs in the first game.
Courtney “Ka‘a” La‘amea suffered the loss for Kaua‘i, giving up 14 hits for Waimea’s 18 runs while walking five Menehune, striking out two and hitting one batter.
Kristy Pimental led the Menehune bats with a solo homerun to leftfield in the second inning to knot the contest 2-2.
Bryana Resquer-Yorkman singled in the inning, but coupled with a three-base error, rounded the path for the 3-2 go-ahead.
SienNa Santiago, finishing the game three for five, got aboard on a bunt single, and after stealing second base, her second in two innings, scored on a Bailey San Agustin-Nordmeier single with two outs.
The Menehune continued to churn out runs, getting eight runs in the fourth inning on just three hits.
Alyssa Miyamoto, playing third base, finished with a single and double and scored twice, both scores coming in the fourth inning.
Faced with a 4-0 deficit in the fourth inning, the Red Raiders settled in and churned out five runs on four hits in the home half of the frame.
But Waimea answered with a run in the fifth to knot the contest and went ahead in the sixth with a run on two hits for the 6-5 final, which came on 10 hits.
Ulu Matagiese wielded the hot bat for Waimea in the second game, finishing with a double and two singles while scoring once. Santiago finished with a bunt single and scored twice.
Pimental, who homered in the first game, tripled in the second game and scored once. Tyrelle Unciano had two singles and scored once.
Kaua‘i finished with six hits with Hirokane singling and scoring once. La‘amea singled and scored once, Tammie Yoshimori singled and scored once, and Kyren Ishikawa scored once and had a bunt single. Jaquias rounded out the Kaua‘i hitting with a single.
Tafiti picked up the win, going seven innings with six hits allowed while striking out none and walking three batters.
La‘amea suffered her second loss, going the distance with six runs allowed on 10 hits while walking five batters and striking out two.
With the KIF softball title, Waimea will advance to the DataHouse Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association, Division II softball state championships at the Patsy Mink Field at Maui High School April 30 through May 3.
Waimea is the defending Division II state champion.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
