The Kapa’a Warriors need to win every game from here on out to stay alive in the KIF championship hunt, and a 5-0 shutout over the Kaua’i Red Raiders Wednesday night at Kapa’a Ball Park was a good start. Waimea
The Kapa’a Warriors need to win every game from here on out to stay alive in the KIF championship hunt, and a 5-0 shutout over the Kaua’i Red Raiders Wednesday night at Kapa’a Ball Park was a good start.
Waimea leads the second round with a 3-0 record, Kapa’a is at 2-1, and Kaua’i drops to 1-5 (three games left between Waimea and Kapa’a, including the cancelled game from last week). The Red Raider season has come to a close.
Warrior pitcher Tiana Laranio struck out five and allowed no runs or walks in five innings to cap another brilliant outing for the veteran ace.
Her performance was equally impecable on offense – the slugger hit a perfect 3-3 from the plate, recording one run and one RBI single that brought teammate Lahela Laranio home in the third.
Kapa’a notched all five runs in the first three innings.
A Laranio triple to left center and two consecutive walks juiced the bases for Charisse Labuguen in the first, who sent the pitcher home with a good eye and a walk to first. Kaua’i stranded to Warrior runners to end the inning.
The score would remain 1-0 until the third, when Kapa’a’s bats came alive.
With a four-run, two hit and three walk inning, the Warriors took a commanding 5-0 lead going into the fourth and never looked back.
It all began when Lahela Laranio, who led-off the bottom of the third, walked on balls and was set up in scoring position following a sacrifice-out from Sandy Pimental in the ensuing at-bat. Erika Notebo-Wakamoto and Jacklyn Alapai filled the bases on two consecutive walks, which set up Laranio’s RBI-single that brought Lahela home from third.
Then came Cassandra Wong’s RBI-double – a bomb to left-center which brought three-runs home for the Warriors.
The Kaua’i Red Raiders walked seven, allowed five-runs on five hits and committed no errors in their definitive loss to the Warriors.
Despite two errors committed by Kapa’a, Kaua’i couldn’t capitalize with runs on the board.
Kapa’a held off the Red Raider attack with great pitching from Laranio and some acrobatics in the outfield – Jackie Alapai’s center-field grab and toss to home for the double play, and a diving foul ball grab from Sandy Pimental.
These are the kind of plays that may be necessary in their double-header against the Waimea Menehunes. With a must win situation, and the mighty Menehunes around the corner, the Warriors better hope their success continues.
