KAUMAKANI — The Kauai Senior Softball League had six postponed makeup games on tap in an attempt to complete the first round of the season. Weather played a role once again as the senior circuit got four in the books before the weekend storm washed out play.
The Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex was scheduled for four games while two games were slated for the Wally Sonoda Softball Stadium in Kaumakani. The Westside held up under black clouds and gale force gusts for both games. Meanwhile on the East side, the field was dry and ready for play early on only to get washed out in the deluge.
Dwight Fujii’s Aloha Kia Lihue A’s finished their first round of play picking up two forfeit wins in the opening games. They got through five innings with Barry Toy’s Da Kruzers and had a substantial lead that could not keep the game going even with a five-run inning.
Toy decided to call the game as the rain commenced and the outcome was well in the A’s hands. Fujii’s team kept up the steam with Peter Rayno’s Hillsiders in their second game and rolled into another insurmountable lead in the bottom of the fourth and the Hillsiders took cover from the storm and lopsided score. By forfeiting the game the score is recorded as 7-0 result for Lihue. The A’s wins improved their record to 8-4.
Joe Bertucci and the Islanders got a couple of breaks this week — good and bad. First, they were down to 10 players for their game with the Keonimana Gents and one of their outfielders broke his arm. Faced with having to go up against the powerhouse Gents with only nine, the weather came to the rescue and this time in a good break as the match up with Sia Salausa’s team was postponed. Unfortunately for the Gents, they still have two games to play before closing out the round.
Ernie Koerte had Kawaihau up and ready to play before the sky opened up. They will have to try again for another make up with Norman Holt’s East Kauai Legends.
The squalls remained off-shore in Kaumakani but the ripping wind blowing from right to left played havoc with pitching and fly balls. Each pitcher had his hands full with the gusting blasts in shifting directions. It was not a good day to be the hurler as the four teams used the conditions to plaster 62 runs on the scoreboard in two contests.
A hearty crowd filled the bleachers early for the opening game featuring Neil Zaslow’s West Kauai up against Frank Bukoski’s Ohana. Ohana has been pounding the ball lately and took off early to building up a good lead. West Kauai held on and stayed a few runs back in the middle innings despite the wreckage the wind was causing.
Finally, Zaslow’s bunch got some life at the plate and posted an inning-ending five runs on the board to get close. When the seventh inning came with no scoring limits, West Kauai rallied and strung hit after hit into a 10-run assault to take the lead. In the bottom of the seventh, Bukoski got his best Ohana hitters in a position to tie the game or go ahead. West Kauai focused on outs and got out of the inning with Ohana falling five runs short holding on for a 17-12 win.
Everyone stayed in their seats for the second game pitting the league’s two 10-1 teams on the card in a packed house. Both the hometown Rookies and the Ohana Motors Rebels came into the game with one loss in the first round. After an entertaining slugfest, the Rebels shut the door on the Rookies, 19-15.
Each of these squads features outstanding pitching as Ronnie Matsumura took the mound for the Rookies against Myles Yoshida for the Rebels. Gary Yate’s had the Rebels ready to go from the first as Aaron Garcia launched a two run home run in the top of the first, and the Rebels took a three-run lead and never trailed the rest of the way. These teams’ lineups are loaded with hitters and collectively they banged out 46 hits and 34 runs.
The Rebels took a 16-6 lead into the final inning and looked for some needed insurance runs, coming up with three more scores to go up, 19-6. Alan Horikawa, the real Rookies coach, sharpened the Rookies offense and got 15 hitters to the plate before the end.
The Rebels could not get out of the inning as Rookies brought in nine runs and had the bases loaded, tying run at the plate and with two outs. Yoshida tossed a wind-blown pitch that got popped to second base for the final out in the grand battle. The Rebels had 25 hits and the Rookies got 21 hits with two home runs — a three-run bomb by John Pimental and a tape measure launch by Nelson Chiba. Both teams wanted to thank the Bartek umpiring crew with Shapa Ramos, chief, Eddie Tacub, first, and Sarge Soto, third for their outstanding job in calling the first place showdown.
Kawaihau, the Islanders and the Gents all have two games remaining on their schedule. Francis DeCosta’s Kuku’s Aces and the East Kauai Legends have a single game to play. The Ohana Motors Rebels, Rookies, Barteks, Lihue A’s, West Kauai, Ohana, Hanamaulu Hillsider’s and Da Kruzer’s have played their 12 first round contests.
The league rolls into the second half with a full schedule at the Wailua Houselots Garden Park and at the Peter Rayno Softball Grounds in Hanamaulu. Ernie Koerte and Kawaihau will host the three games at their home park opening with Horikawa’s Rookies. Bertucci’s Islanders will hope to get back to full strength when they take on a motivated Frank Bukoski Ohana team. The day will conclude with Fujii’s Aloha Kia team taking on Frances DeCosta’s revved up Kuku’s Aces.
Peter Rayno and the Hillsider’s will have their Hanamaulu home park ready to play when they take on Pat Baniaga’s Barteks crew. Zaslow’s West Kauai will test their new run scoring machine against the Keonimana Gents and Salausa’s potent line-up. The morning wraps up with Holt’s Legends from East Kauai battling with Gary Yates and the Ohana Motors Rebels. All games are at 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
It was previously reported that Pat Baniaga had been traded to the Rookies to be their new head coach. The league commissioner denied the trade due to alleged tampering and Baniaga is happily back with Bartek’s where he has been the head coach for many years.
Rookies head coach Alan Horikawa was reached and said he never paid attention to the rumor, “I knew it was fake news right from the start. Some team is trying to get an advantage.”
The League rules prohibit any mid-season trades including management.
