HANAPEPE — The Kapaa High School Warriors and Kauai High School Red Raiders are 1-1 each after the opening round of the Waimea Menehune Invitational Softball Tournament at Hanapepe Stadium.
Kapaa started out being by shut down by the Mililani Trojans, 8-0, before rebounding to a 15-2 win over Kauai in the third set of games contested over two fields set up at Hanapepe Stadium.
“Against a Division I team (Mililani), if we went down 4-0, it would have been good for us,” said Kapaa coach Francis Takasaki. “But we had two unforced errors, and it ended up, 8-0. We did well, though, holding up against Mililani for three, maybe four innings.”
The Raiders opened up with a 8-5 win over the Farrington Governors before falling to Kapaa in the 4 p.m. afternoon bill.
Following the opening day, the Mililani Trojans take the lead in the tournament with two wins and no losses. Teams from the Kauai Interscholastic Federation, barring results from Waimea’s second match, are at 1-1.
Michael Koerte, coordinating the tournament officials, said host Waimea High School was playing the bottom half of the tournament schedule because school officials wanted the girls to remain in school.
They opened the tournament on a winning note, taking an 8-5 edge over Kamehameha Schools-Maui in an opening day twin bill.
No scores were available for the nightcap that featured the host Menehune taking on Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii.
Action continues in the tournament where the team with the best win-loss record will be crowned winner. Play starts at noon today and 9 a.m. Saturday.
Thursday’s results
Noon: Mililani 8, Kapaa 0
Noon: Farrington 5, Kauai 8
2 p.m.: Mililani 11, Kamehameha-Maui 2
2 p.m.: Farrington 3, Kamehameha-HI 11
4 p.m.: Kamehameha-Maui 5, Waimea 8
4 p.m.: Kapaa 15, Kauai 2
6 p.m.: not available.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
