KAPA’A – The resurgent Waimea softball team swept a Saturday double-header at the Kapa’a Ball Park to spoil the Kapa’a season opener by scores of 12-1 (5 innings) and 14-3 (6 innings). Game 1: Waimea 12 – Kapa’a 1 (5
KAPA’A – The resurgent Waimea softball team swept a Saturday double-header at the Kapa’a Ball Park to spoil the Kapa’a season opener by scores of 12-1 (5 innings) and 14-3 (6 innings).
Game 1: Waimea 12 – Kapa’a 1 (5 innings)
The Menehune jumped out to a 7-0 first inning advantage on three walks, a pair of hit batters, a Daeleen Perreira RBI-single, and a dramatic grand slam smash by Alexis Nawai.
The Warriors picked up their run in the bottom half of the initial frame as tri-captain Kassandra Wong smashed a booming triple to right center and hustled across the plate as the relay to third went awry.
Waimea bumped the lead to 8-1 in the next frame as D. Perreira drew a two-out walk, advanced to second on an Ashley Lazaro single, and scampered home on a subsequent RBI-base hit by Nawai.
The Kapa’a defense managed to keep the Menehune offense dormant until the fifth when a Melissa Moreno fly ball was dropped and Lynette Perreira lined a 2-run home run smash down the third base line. Tia Koerte and Elena Souza followed with base hits and scored on a clutch two-out single up the middle by Lazaro to push the lead to 12-1.
Starter Lynette Perreira picked up her second win of the young KIF season in closing out the Warriors in order to end the contest after five innings due to the ten-run rule in effect for Hawai’i high school contests. Perreira limited the Warriors to a solo earned run on 4 hits and struck out 3 batters while walking none.
L. Perreira (single, home run, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), D. Perreira (2 singles, 3 runs, RBI), Lazaro (2 singles, 2 RBIs) and Nawai (single, home run, run scored, 5 RBIs) paced the Menehune offensive barrage.
Catcher Kassandra Wong blasted a double and triple for the hosts in addition to scoring the lone Kapa’a run. Center fielder Theresa Taylor also paired hits in a losing effort.
Shantell Wong started on the hill for the Warriors and pitched to the first five Menehune hitters before being lifted in favor of reliever Chasa’rae Labuguen. Waimea scored their 12 runs on 11 hits, 4 walks, 4 hit batters and 1 Kapa’a fielding error.
Game 2: Waimea 14 – Kapa’a 3 (6 innings)
Intermittent showers greeted players and fans in the second contest as the Warriors took a damp 1-0 advantage into the second inning as a Sandy Pimental ground ball was thrown away to advance the diminutive speedster to second. Pimental immediately stole third and jogged in on a Kassandra Wong lined single through the hole into left.
Waimea jumped in front for good with 5 runs in the top of the second on 4 hits, a walk, hit batter and a pair of Kapa’a throwing errors. The frame was highlighted by an Ashley Mier run-scoring double and a 2-RBI bloop single to center by Kodi Oyama.
The Menehune pushed their sixth run across in the top of the third when Nawai dumped a clutch two-out single into center to drive in Koerte (aboard with a lead-off walk).
Kapa’a trimmed the deficit to three runs in the home half as Pimental and Labuguen led off with bunt singles and raced around the bags on a K. Wong triple to right center just beyond the diving try of Koerte. Wong would try to score a batter later on a short fly ball to the right side but Waimea catcher Oyama bravely held on to the relay after a tremendous collision at the plate to help end the rally and regain momentum for her squad.
The Menehune jumped up 7-3 in the fourth as Jessica Rita walked and plated on a L. Perreira triple to left. Perreira cashed in as a Koerte fly ball was dropped in the outfield and she later scored on a D. Perreira fielders choice grounder that was dropped at second for a 9-3 edge. Another error and a walk loaded the bags, and a base on balls to Mier forced in Lazaro with the tenth Waimea score.
Waimea added a pair in the fifth on a sinking D. Perreira double down the right field stripe to knock in L. Perreira (walk) and Lazaro (fielders choice).
The Menehune tacked on their final runs in the sixth with a pair of walks, a hit batter, and RBI-singles by Koerte and Souza to score Mier and Rita.
Koerte, who moved to the mound from center in the fourth inning, hurled a 1-2-3 frame in the home half to end the contest after 6 innings again due to the 10-run rule.
With another three strong innings of work, starter L. Perreira picked up her third win in as many tries and gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits, 3 walks, while notching 3 Ks. Koerte hurled the final 3 frames and shut out the Warriors on 2 hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Labuguen started and took the loss for Kapa’a, and allowed 10 runs (8 earned) on 10 hits, 5 walks, and 2 hit batters in 4 innings. K. Wong pitched the final 2 innings for the host squad and gave up 4 earned runs on 3 hits, 3 walks, 1 hit batter. In muddy conditions, the Warriors committed 5 errors to the Menehune pair.
Souza (3-4, run scored, RBI), Mier (2-3, 2 runs, 2 RBIs), Koerte (2-4, 3 runs, 2 RBIs), Moreno (double, run scored), L. Perreira (triple, 2 runs, RBI), D. Perreira (double, 3 RBIs), and Oyama (1-1, 2 RBIs) paced the Menehune effort.
K. Wong went 3-3 with a triple, 2 singles and 3 RBIs for Kapa’a while teammate Pimental scored twice.
The Warriors are scheduled to take on the Red Raiders at Isenberg Field next Tuesday in a single contest slated to begin at 10 a.m. due to the holidays.
