LIHUE — Waimea senior Deidrelynn Tafiti whacked in a pair of doubles, scored twice and registered an RBI to lead the Menehune to a 11-9 victory over Kauai High School on Wednesday night before a big crowd at Isenberg Park.
“She was smiling,” a comment from the crowd floated in the calm night air as Diedrelynn claimed her second two-bagger that scored M. Soares, who bunted first in the fourth inning.
Kauai freshman pitcher Dreanalyn Tafiti threw a complete-game in the loss, throwing against her sister who played first base for the Menehune.
“I’m a Waimea grad so I’m sitting on the Waimea side,” said Paulette Grace, the Tafiti’s grandmother. “The rest of the family is sitting on the Kauai side.”
The evening opened with Waimea getting two runs that were promptly answered by the host Red Raiders who took the 3-2 go-ahead with three runs on just a single hit, a two-RBI single from Dreanalyn.
Waimea knotted the match in the second when Hi‘ilei Lazaro-Chandler, walking first, scored on a Cheyla Goias-Soares RBI-single with one away. The Menehune loaded the bases when Dreanalyn walked two consecutive Menehune. But a swinging strike out ended the threat with bases loaded.
“This is a real young team,” said Waimea coach Teddy Lazaro. “We have a lot of first-timers who have never played softball before. Cheyla is throwing her first game after our pitcher got injured. We have a lot of decent players — they just gotta learn to play softball.”
Waimea turned the tide in the third inning when the Menehune pushed four runs across the plate on four hits. Trailing 6-3, Soares got to first on a bunt followed by Deidrelynn smacking a double. A play by Lazaro-Chandler set the stage for Malisha Kali-Bagaoisan’s 2-RBI single.
Kauai answered with two hits for the 8-7 go-ahead lead when Kaylee Braun, Kaylana Maghanoy and Kayla Blackstad all singled. A two-RBI double from catcher Justice Funamura-Sasil pushed the Red Raiders’ pair of runs.
Waimea pushed two runs in the fourth and added another pair of runs in the fifth while Kauai was able to score just one run in the fourth for the final math.
Deidrelynn topped Waimea’s 12 hits with her pair of doubles and an RBI. Makeyah Wisneski doubled and scored once, Taira Abreu marked two bunt singles, Starlyn Ripley singled and finished with two RBI. Kali-Bagaoisan singled and had two RBI and Lazaro-Chandler singled.
Hilarie Marcelino led the Kauai batting performance with three-for-four in the box with three RBI, followed by Funamura-Sasil with a double and two RBI. Braun finished with a pair of singles and scoring twice.
“The good thing about these girls is they went all the way,” said Kauai coach Ferdinand Marcelino. “They didn’t give up, but there’s only so much you can do.”
Kauai next hosts Kapaa, Saturday at Isenberg Park, the first pitch going at 9 a.m.
