ELEELE — The Kauai Senior Softball League moved out west under howling winds and sunny skies to put on a marathon of runs in the weekend games, racking up 179 runs in seven games.
The tiny confines of Eleele Park surrendered 60 runs in their three games, and the quadruple-header at Wally Sonoda Field in Kaumakani wore the plate out with 119 scores. In four of the seven games, both teams scored in double digits.
Al Magno had the West Kauai team in the park early setting up the cozy diamond for the early morning game. West Kauai was host for the day and home team in the opener against Barteks. Pat Baniaga had his Hanapepe club off to an early start, and Barteks ran away with a 14-1 win.
Norman Holt fired up the East Kauai Legends for their encounter with the Islanders. Joe Bertucci used his potent line up to roll off 12 runs, but they could not hold off the Legend drive. East Kauai came away with a 17-12 victory for their first win of the season.
The games wrapped up with the Keonimana Gents and Da Kruzers. Sia Salausa has the Gents on a steady roll, picking up their third straight win topping Barry Toy’s Da Kruzers, 15-1.
The wind-whipped Wally Sonoda Tropical Garden featured four games on the impeccable palm lined grass field. The Rookies, once again, had the manicured field in sterling condition for a long day of games.
Alan Horikawa and the Rookies faced off with Neil Zaslow’s Hana Hou in the first game. Hana Hou surprised the Rookies with an all-out hitting attack and used their late inning rallies along run away with an 18-11 victory.
Gary Yates took the mound for the Ohana Motors Rebels and blanked Francis DeCosta’s Kuku’s Aces, 21-0, in a five-inning game.
The late morning game pitted Dwight Fujii and the Aloha Kia Lihue A’s up against Frank Bukoski’s Ohana. Both teams sport powerful lineups and great pitching. It was rallies galore in a seesaw battle with the A’s coming up with too much fire power in the late innings to take a 19-12 win.
Pete Rayno and the Hanamaulu Hillsiders came up with the most exciting game of the day, looking to be overmatched taking on Tom Christy and Solid Steel. The Hillsiders shocked the packed grandstands opening the game by pasting five runs on the scoreboard in the top of the first. Hanamaulu hit all of the open spots to force Sold Steel to continually play catch up. In the fifth, the Hillsiders held a 17-12 lead. The Hillsiders could not hold on, and the Steel would not break, rallying for a 21-17 come from behind win.
The no-loss club was reduced to four with the Rookies and Ohana taking their first loss of the season. The Keonimana Gents, Aloha Kia Lihue A’s, Ohana Motors Rebels and Solid Steel remain undefeated.
There will be more action as Kauai Senior Softball moves into week four with games in town at Isenberg Stadium and the Peter Rayno Softball Park in Hanamaulu.
The Aloha Kia Lihue A’s will host the games and open the day taking on West Kauai. The Keonimana Gents will have Hana Hou on the schedule. The Ohana Motors Rebels will square off with Ohana in the final game.
The Islanders will play host for four games at the Rayno Park. The start the games with a match up with Da Kruzers, and Solid Steel will have Kuku’s Aces in the second contest. Kawaihau will take on the resurgent Hanamaulu Hillsiders, and the final game of the day will have the Rookies playing Barteks.
Results
In Eleele: Barteks 14, West Kauai 1; East Kauai Legends 17, Islanders 12; Keonimana Gents 15, Da Kruzers 1
In Kaumakani: Hana Hou 18, Rookies 11; Ohana Motors Rebels 21, Kuku’s Aces 0; Aloha Kia Lihue A’s 19, Ohana 12; Solid Steel 21, Hanamaulu Hillsiders 17
