Kapa’a girls storm backDefeat Kaua’i High with sixth inning rally, 7-6

KAPA’A — The Kapa’a Warriors softball team hadn’t held a lead all game, but,

with one crack of the bat, won a 7-6 varsity softball decision over the Kaua’i

High Red Raiders yesterday at the Kapa’a Ball Park.

Trailing 6-5 in the

bottom of the sixth inning, Kapa’a’s Tiana Laranio came to bat with the bases

loaded.

Laranio, the sister of former Warrior standouts Tiffany and Tori

Laranio, kept the tradition going by swatting a line-drive two-run basehit to

center field.

Laranio then took the mound in relief of Cherisse Labuguen

and shut down the Red Raiders in the top of the seventh to clinch the

victory.

Labuguen was the winning pitcher, and she ended up with a

six-hitter.

Cecilia Quibilan, who hurled a seven-hitter, was the tough-luck

losing pitcher for the Raiders.

Kaua’i High was in command for most of the

way, but the Warriors continued to play with dogged determination and hung

right in there.

The Raiders went up 2-0 in the first inning, thanks to two

Warrior errors. Pua Kaluahine opened with an infield hit and scored on the two

consecutive errors, including one on Rochelle Perreira’s sacrifice try.

Perreira eventually crossed the plate on Chantel Villatora’s hit up the

middle.

Kapa’a countered with a single run in the bottom of the first to

make it 2-1. Chelsie Labuguen ripped a single to left, and she eventually came

home on Russlyn Morita’s single.

Tyrene Kaluahine made it 3-1 for Kaua’i in

the second frame. She walked, moved to second on Quibilan’s infield hit, took

third on a walk to Pua Kaluahine, and scored on a wild pitch.

The Warriors

put the game in a 3-3 deadlock in the third. Chelsie Labuguen walked and

pinch-runner Lahela Laranio was on base when Russlyn Morita smashed a two-run

homer down the left field baseline.

The Red Raiders regained control — and

a 6-3 lead — in the top of the fourth. Two more Warrior errors helped them

along. Quibilan hit an RBI round out and Pua Kaluahine bashed an RBI single,

while Alisa Racelo, Liza Gebauer, Chantel Villatora and Stacie Hirota played a

part in the rally with walks.

Kapa’a got a run back for a 6-4 deficit in

the fifth. when Laranio clobbered a triple to left and sprinted home on a wild

pitch.

The Warriors turned a 1-6-3 double play to snuff out a Raider threat

in the top of the sixth.

Cherisse Labuguen led off the bottom of the sixth

with a single and she scored on a three-base Raider error on K. Lopez’s

grounder. Trichael Pangan followed with a walk and Kanoe Arinaga loaded the

bases on an infield single.

Up stepped Laranio to punch out the

game-winning hit for the 7-6 win.

The Red Raiders stranded 11 runners in

the game.

Kapa’a (1-1) hosts the Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation

league-leading Waimea Menehunes (3-0) for a noon doubleheader

Saturday.

Kaua’i (0-3) visits Waimea next Wednesday at 2:45 p.m.