KAPA‘A — Ekolu Rivera had a home run and marked two RBIs to lead the Kawaihau Majors All-Stars to a 6-2 win over the Kailua All-Stars Sunday at the New Kapa‘a Town Park Main Diamond. The win advances Kawaihau to
KAPA‘A — Ekolu Rivera had a home run and marked two RBIs to lead the Kawaihau Majors All-Stars to a 6-2 win over the Kailua All-Stars Sunday at the New Kapa‘a Town Park Main Diamond.
The win advances Kawaihau to the championship game of the Little League District 1 playoffs Tuesday afternoon against the winner of today’s Kaneohe and Kailua matchup. That game starts at 4 p.m. at the Kapa‘a Main Diamond.
With one out in the opening frame, Rivera took the third pitch from Kailua pitcher Chayne Wayton and powered the ball deep to right field, one of the Little League officials noting the ball conked the second row of cars in the outfield.
The home run started the Kawaihau Majors All-Star bats which collected seven hits for its six runs in the win against Kailua.
The defense, which held strong against Kaneohe Saturday, continued to prevail, led by the tough pitching of Keanu Camalliri, who exchanged positions with Chayse Basuel, the pitcher of record against Kaneohe.
Camalliri allowed just two hits, a fielder’s choice by Matthew Fairfax in the second inning and a double by Noah Ota in the sixth frame which set up Kailua’s only score of the game.
The score came off Kailua catcher Danny Tucher’s two-run bang over right-centerfield after Camalliri was pulled after reaching his 85-pitch maximum for the game, Tucher pounding the third pitch off the Kawaihau reliever.
Following Rivera’s homer to open the scorebooks, Kawaihau punched in three runs on three hits in the third inning and added another pair of runs on two hits in the fourth inning, Rivera starting the fireworks in the third inning by scoring Kaliko Banquel, getting first on a single.
Basuel singled to load the bases and a fielder’s choice play from Camalliri scored Kalena Harder, singling first, and Kade Kupihea, walking first.
Dusten Ramseyer-Burdett and Leipua Kaui, both walking, scored in the fourth inning, but took the long way home after Ramseyer-Burdett was a bit anxious on Rivera’s hit and the base runners were sent back.
Ramseyer-Burdett finally crossed on a Kupihea single and Kaui crossed on a Basuel RBI.
Kailua will face Kaneohe, the winner of Sunday’s earlier game, in a single game today starting at 4 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to the championship against Kawaihau on Tuesday starting at 4 p.m. at the New Kapa‘a Town Park Main Diamond.
