LIHU‘E — The Menehune did what they needed to do and swept the Red Raiders in Saturday’s doubleheader at Hanapepe Stadium, clinching the top record in the second round of the season and all but assuring themselves the 2010 Kaua‘i
LIHU‘E — The Menehune did what they needed to do and swept the Red Raiders in Saturday’s doubleheader at Hanapepe Stadium, clinching the top record in the second round of the season and all but assuring themselves the 2010 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship.
The only hiccup for Waimea was a potential protest that Kaua‘i was considering for Game One of the doubleheader, feeling that pitcher Shylen Keuma should not have been able to come off the mound for a reliever, then re-enter as a pitcher later in the same game. A consultation with the rule book showed no such illegality for the substitution, making a Kaua‘i protest a longshot.
The two victories run Waimea’s record to 5-0 in the second half, after capturing the first-round title in a one-game playoff over the Raiders. No such playoff will be necessary this time around.
In the opening game, Kaua‘i made its stand to try to thwart the Waimea title hopes, leading 10-9 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning. But with their backs against the wall, the Menehune manufactured the necessary runs.
Chyson Soares led off the inning with a single, followed by three consecutive walks to Kaimana Perreira-Alquiza, Kalani Fernandez and Gavin Jardin, knotting up the game at 10-10.
Paul Correa stepped into the box with the bases loaded and smacked the game-winning single to keep the Menehune win streak alive in the 11-10 victory.
Perreira-Alquiza went 2 for 2 with four runs and two RBIs. Fernandez was 2 for 3, scoring twice and driving in a run, while Correa finished up 2 for 5 with three RBIs. Mikeo Rita added two hits, a run and an RBI for Waimea.
Travis Koga went 3 for 3 with four big RBIs for Kaua‘i, while Kellen Aquino was 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Lanan Rice-Kashima scored three times and Shea Shimabukuro was 2 for 4 with a run.
Keuma got the win, going four innings and giving up six earned runs. Erin Doi took the loss for the Raiders.
Kaua‘i put up a six-spot in the top of the second inning to take a 7-2 lead, but Waimea came right back with six runs in the bottom half, regaining a one-run advantage. It didn’t last long as Kaua‘i tied it with a run in the top of the third.
The Raiders went up 10-8 with two in the top of the fifth. The Menehune got one back in the bottom half, as neither team then scored again until the deciding bottom of the seventh.
Waimea had 11 runs on 14 hits and committed one error. Kaua‘i scored its 10 runs on 10 hits, committing three errors.
Game Two was all Waimea from the start as the Menehune went on to a 14-4 win in five innings.
They put up three in the first, two in the second, three in the third and one in the fourth, all the while holding the Raiders scoreless behind Keuma on the mound.
Kaua‘i started a comeback in the top of the fifth, putting up four runs to make it a 9-4 ballgame, but Waimea ended the day’s festivities with five runs in the bottom half, initiating the 10-run rule.
The win moved Keuma to 6-0 on the season, as Ricky Davenport suffered the loss for the Raiders.
Dylan Ishihara smacked a three-run homer in the fifth inning, while Correa was 2 for 3 with a homer, two runs and two RBIs.
Keuma helped his own cause with two RBIs and two hits at the dish, while Perreira-Alquiza continued to swing a hot bat, going 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI.
The season will conclude Wednesday, as the Kapa‘a Warriors host Waimea at Ron Martin Field at 3:30 p.m.
