WAIMEA—Sunflowers flourish in the warm Waimea sun, and the Wailau Sunflowers, a 12-Under girls softball team playing in the 14-under bracket, took a championship double-header against Ho`omana 7-5, 8-6 to clinch the championship of the 14-Under division of the Kaua`i
WAIMEA—Sunflowers flourish in the warm Waimea sun, and the Wailau Sunflowers,
a 12-Under girls softball team playing in the 14-under bracket, took a
championship double-header against Ho`omana 7-5, 8-6 to clinch the championship
of the 14-Under division of the Kaua`i Second Annual Invitational Softball
Tournament that was played at the Waimea Canyon Park.
West Kaua`i roared
past Lau`Lima, one of two Kaua`i teams in that division, 20-7 to meet up with
the Sunflowers only to drop that contest 6-7 relegating the Westside girls to
third place in the age bracket.
Other teams in the 14-Under bracket
included the Ho`onou and the Kapolei Cobras.
Na Wahine, a team comprised of
players that saw action for the Waimea High School Menehunes during the KIF
softball season and coached by their KIF coach Pat Baniaga, rose from a fourth
place finish in last year’s tournament to second place when their bats went
quiet against the Colorado Commotion who took the title of the 18-Under
division with a 12-4 victory in a game that was shortened by the 8-run rule
following four and a half innings.
The Native Girls, a team made up of
players from the Kapa`a area and coached by Timmy Laranio could not close the
door in their opening contest against the Tucson Traviesas as they stranded the
tying run at third to drop their opener 4-5 before suffering defeat at the
hands of Na Wahine 8-5 in day two of the tournament.
The Santa Cruz Surf
who had dominated the Native Girls 12-3 in pool play, ended in third place of
the 18-Under bracket, taking the Midnight Sun from Alaska 8-3 for the
berth.
Other teams in that age bracket included the Merced Lightning
(California), Tucson Traviesas (Arizona), and the Columbine Wildcats
(Colorado).
The tournament was hosted by the Kaua`i Girls Softball League
with Albert Soto serving as the tournament director. Carl Clifton of Colorado
coordinated the mainland teams, working closely with Soto for accomodations on
Kaua`i.
Following their championship win that garnered the Colorado team
the governor’s koa bowl, Jim Gerk, coach of the Commotion, commented on the
friendships and quality style of play demonstrated by all teams participating
in the tournament.
The Commotion left Kaua`i on Monday for three days’ stay
on O`ahu before returning to Colorado.
14-Under
Pool
Play
Ho`onou 4, West Kaua`i 5
Wailau Sunflowers 0, Ho`onou
8
Kapolei Cobras 2, Lau`Lima Central 7
Lau`Lima Central 2, Ho`omana
4
Wailau Sunflowers 4, West Kaua`i 4
Ho`omana 6, Kapolei Cobras
4
Double Elimination (June 23)
11:00 a.m. West Kaua`i 6, Kapolei
Cobras 0
11:00 a.m. Ho`onou 1, Lau`Lima Central 4
3:30 p.m. Ho`omana 4,
West Kaua`i 2
5:00 p.m. Wailau Sunflowers 6, Lau`Lima 1
Double
Elimination games (June 24)
9:30 a.m. Ho`onou 2, West Kaua`i 5
11:00
a.m. Kapolei Cobras 9, Lau`Lima 12
11:00 a.m. Ho`omana 3, Wailau Sunflowers
1
11:00 a.m. West Kaua`i 20, Lau`Lima Central 7
1:00 p.m. West Kaua`i
6, Wailau Sunflowers 7
3:30 p.m. Ho`omana 5, Wailau Sunflowers 7
5:00
p.m. Ho`omana 6, Wailau 8.
18-Under
Pool Play
Midnight Sun 4,
Colorado Commotion 5
Merced Lightning 5, Na Wahine 7
Tucson Traviesas
7, Columbine Wildcats 0
Santa Cruz Surf 12, Native Girls 3
Mightnight
Sun 2, Merced Lightning 5
Colorado Commotion 7, Na Wahine 0
Tucson
Traviesas 2, Santa Cruz Surf 2
Columbine Wildcats 0, Native Girls
7
Tucson Traviesas 5, Native Girls 4
Columbine Wildcats 0, Santa
Cruz Surf 7
Colorado Commotion 8, Merced Lightning 0
Midnight Sun 4, Na
Wahine 7
Double elimination (June 23)
12:30 p.m. Commotion 7,
Wildcats 0
12:30 p.m. Traviesas 6, Merced 2
2:00 p.m. Na Wahine 8,
Native Girls 5
2:00 p.m. Midnight Sun 6, Santa Cruz Surf 2
3:30 p.m.
Wildcats 0, Merced Lightning 7
3:30 p.m. Native Girls 0, Santa Cruz Surf
6
5:00 p.m. Commotion 5, Traviesas 4
5:00 p.m. Na Wahine 5, Midnight
Sun 3
Double Elimination (June 24)
8:00 a.m. Midnight Sun 9,
Merced Lightning 0
8:00 a.m. Traviesas 3, Santa Cruz Surf 8
9:30 a.m.
Commotion 11, Na Wahine 3
11:00 a.m. Midnight Sun 3, Santa Cruz Surf
8
12:30 p.m. Santa Cruz Surf 2, Na Wahine 4
3:30 p.m. Na Wahine 4,
Commotion 12.
