KAPA‘A — The Kapa‘a High softball girls, working with a new coaching staff, took both ends of its doubleheader — 31-24 and 20-9 — against Kaua‘i High on Saturday during Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation softball games at Kapa‘a High.
The outcome redeems the Lady Warriors’ opening-day loss to the Red Raiders, and puts them in contention for the first-round crown, when they face Waimea High on Saturday at Waimea Athletic Field. The first pitch for the day’s twin bill goes at 10 a.m.
Kaua‘i High outhit Kapa‘a 14 to 13, but fell after Kapa‘a, falling short of the game-shortening technical knockout by one run, pushed nine runs on three hits in the sixth frame for the final game one math.
Trailing 22-9 following four complete innings, Kaua‘i High stayed alive by driving home four runs on no hits in the fifth frame to finish 22-13 after five complete to force the contest into extra innings. Kaua‘i High pushed nine runs on four hits in the sixth and two runs on three hits in the seventh for its final Game 1 math.
Kapa‘a answered with no runs in the fifth, and pounded out nine runs on three hits in the sixth for the Game 1 final that saw the Warriors get home runs from Sienna Yamashita, Hailey Gibson and Charlize Kenney. Gibson and Kailee Gorospe each marked five runs batted in, followed by Yamashita and Kenney recording four RBI apiece.
Kaua‘i High recorded 14 hits, including 10 singles and three triples, with 11 RBIs marked. Kylah Racca led the charge by scoring once and adding three RBIs, followed by pitcher Dallas Batoon scoring four times with two singles and two RBIs.
The Lady Warriors picked up their second victory, 20-9, on 11 hits, led by Gibson, who finished by scoring three times, with a home run and a single, and driving in five RBIs. Kenney followed by scoring twice, getting a pair of singles and marking three RBIs.
Jeyslen Orial led the Kaua‘i High bats by scoring once and nailing a triple and one RBI, followed by Cheyley Jacobs finishing with a single and three RBIs.
Kaua‘i High will host Waimea High on Wednesday at Isenberg Park in Lihu‘e in a single game starting at 6 p.m. to close out the team’s first round.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
