LIHU‘E — Following two wins by Kapa‘a High — 17-9 and 20-4 — against Kaua‘i High Saturday at Isenberg Park, there will be a playoff for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation softball first-round honors.
The tie-breaking single contest will take place Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at the Kapa‘a High diamond. The site was determined by a coin flip between the Warriors and Waimea Menehune.
The Lady Warriors broke in a new pitcher, Kaia Davis-Caberto, who was on the mound for two complete innings in the opening contest before turning over the ball to Warriors’ traditional starter Seijia Makanani, who went the remaining five innings, giving up no runs on three hits while walking two Raider batters and striking out two.
Kaua‘i High opened by outscoring Kapa‘a with seven runs in the second frame for a one-run bulge after two innings. But Kapa‘a answered in the third inning with three runs while limiting the Raiders to two crossings, and in the fourth frame the Lady Warriors busted loose for seven runs, including a two-run homer from Makanani, to ice the win.
The heavy Kaua‘i High showing went against Davis-Caberto, who gave up nine runs, just two earned, on four hits while walking one and striking out none.
Daelynn Keale was strapped with the loss for the Raiders, going the distance and giving up a dozen hits, including a home run, for the 17 runs, six being earned, while walking seven Lady Warriors and striking out four.
Makanani swung the big bat for the Lady Warriors, scoring twice and homering in the fourth for two RBI. Hailey Gibson, scoring twice, had three RBI on her trio of singles. Davis-Caberto scored three times and had an RBI on a single and double. Makena Kupihea, crossing the bag three times, also marked an RBI on a double and single.
Red Raider bats were also active in the first contest, with Jeyslen Orial marking two RBI on her three-bagger, Zylah Blackstad-Texeira scoring twice and driving in two RBI on her double. Keale scored once and marked a single, along with Mia Marty, who scored once and marked an RBI on her single. Edyn Naka‘ahiki scored once, and Cheyley Jacobs scored twice.
In game two, Kaua‘i High again held the lead on a four-run second inning, 4-2, before Kapa‘a answered with a pair of runs in the third to tie, and pulled ahead with five runs in the fourth enroute to its victory.
Makanani picked up the win on the mound, taking over from Makena Kupihea, who started and went 1.3 innings, giving up four runs on two hits while walking two Kaua‘i batters. Makanani finished by throwing a no-hitter the rest of the way, walking four and whiffing three.
Keale suffered the loss for Kaua‘i, nearly completing the game at 4.6 innings and giving up 11 hits, including a third-inning solo homer and a fifth-inning grand slam from Savanna Simons, for Kapa‘a’s 19 runs, nine being earned, and walking four. Hayle Ramos closed the door with one run credited to her.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
