KAPA’A — Chris Lary, Dustin Mundon and Jared Raquel each grimaced for a moment, holding respective body parts until the pain subsided. Then each grinned, certain that Sunday’s bruises would justify Saturday’s victory. Trying to protect an 8-7 lead on
KAPA’A — Chris Lary, Dustin Mundon and Jared Raquel each grimaced for a moment, holding respective body parts until the pain subsided. Then each grinned, certain that Sunday’s bruises would justify Saturday’s victory.
Trying to protect an 8-7 lead on the opening day of Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation baseball action, Waimea relief pitcher Clarence Aki beaned the three in succession to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh. Two would eventually score, giving Kapa’a a 9-8 victory at Ron Martin Field, and completing the Warriors’ doubleheader sweep of the Menehunes. They won the first contest 15-5.
With Lary, Mundon and Raquel aboard, Aki forced Tyler Wakuta into a choppy grounder. Lary scored on the hit, but Raquel met the fate of the fielder’s choice. Waimea then intentionally walked Kapa’a pitcher Royce Rapozo to re-load the bases. Menehunes third baseman Leonard Zalapany snagged a tricky foul ball off the bat of Robin Lore for the second out. Aki then delivered three consecutive balls to Kaili Panui, punched a strike in and finally fired a final ball. The walk gave Panui the game-winning RBI.
Waimea (0-2 KIF) began the game on a tear, capitalizing on nine hits and five Kapa’a errors over the first three-and-a-half innings to build an 8-3 lead. But Kapa’a would not be denied. The Warriors did not allow a single Waimea hit over the final three innings. Meanwhile, Kapa’a (2-0) scored two in the fourth, one each in the fifth and sixth and then two in the seventh to steadily put itself in position to win.
The run in the bottom of the sixth was particularly disheartening for Waimea. Starting pitcher Rayson Cacal, who delivered a respectable outing, rung up two outs and nearly sat Panui down on strikes. But the Warriors’ clean-up hitter walked, setting up Kalani Miyashiro’s RBI single. Aki came on and got Bradley Wakuta on strikes, but the damage was done.
In the top of the seventh, Kapa’a sophomore Kyle Neuberger got Brandon Ishibashi and Oliver Moniz to pop out, then struck out BJ Hardy. His inning of work was enough to get him the win.
The bulk of the work, however, was done by Rapozo. The senior went six innings, gave up eight runs on nine hits, struck out two and walked two. Aki was dealt the loss for Waimea. It was Cacal’s labor, however, that gave Waimea a chance to win.
He went five-and-two-thirds innings, gave up seven runs on nine hits, two walks and hit two batters.
Home runs were the story at Ron Martin Field, as five were blasted on the day. Kapa’a’s Bradley Wakuta was responsible for two of them. He hit one in each game. Lore also nailed one in the first game, as did Aki. Waimea’s Jay Parinas sent one over the left-field fence in game two.
Game 1
The first contest wasn’t much of a contest after two innings. Kapa’a jumped out to an 8-0 lead on the strength of seven second-inning runs. The Warriors did commit seven errors, however, bringing their doubleheader total to 12.
Robin Lore picked up the win on the hill, throwing five innings, giving up three earned runs on five hits with two strike outs and a walk.
Kalailoa Taniguchi suffered the loss. He lasted just one-and-two-thirds innings, gave up seven runs on six hits with a strike out and four walks.
KIF action resumes Wednesday at 2:45 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium when Kaua’i High School hosts Kapa’a.
