LIHUE – For a team on a hot streak, no lead is insurmountable. Robin Correa’s seventh-inning RBI ground-out brought home Clarence Aki with the winning run as the Waimea Menehunes rallied for a 10-9 first round play-off victory over the
LIHUE – For a team on a hot streak, no lead is insurmountable.
Robin Correa’s seventh-inning RBI ground-out brought home Clarence Aki with the winning run as the Waimea Menehunes rallied for a 10-9 first round play-off victory over the Kauai Red Raiders in KIF prep baseball action Monday afternoon at Vidinha Stadium.
Kaua’i got on the scoreboard first as Rodney Baptistes sharp single through the left side got by the Menehune left fielder to bring in Scott Serizawa and Alaric Villatora for a 2-0 lead after one inning of play.
The hot hitting Serizawa smashed a two-out triple to drive home Gabriel Rebb in the bottom of the second for a 3-0 Raider cushion.
The Menehunes, who began the season at 0-3 but now find themselves holders of the hardball seasons longest winning streak at four games, would get it back immediately.
Michael Ishibashi, who’s recent insertion into the starting lineup has paid immediate offensive and defensive dividends for the Menehunes, started things off in the next frame with a single and Brandon Ishibashi walked to move the diminutive second baseman into scoring position. Correa reached safely as his sac bunt was thrown into the outfield and M. Ishibashi sprinted to the plate to cut the lead to two runs. A Raider fielding error allowed courtesy runner Zenon Schonberg and Correa to tie things up at 3-3.
Consecutive one-out triples by the Ishibashi cousins, another fielding error, and Leonard Zalopany’s first double of the season garnered another three runs in the fourth to put the Menehunes up 6-3.
Waimea starter Kalailoa Taniguchi, who expertly pitched out of jams throughout the contest, got into a bit of trouble in the bottom half as Titus Hori (walk) and Shawn Ogata (single) scored on Serizawa’s second triple of the game.
The Menehunes, who consistently answered the call after Raider scores, got the two runs back on Aki’s line-drive up the box to bring in Parinas (aboard with his first hit of the season) and B. Ishibashis RBI ground-out off reliever Garen Itamura to drive in M. Ishibashi.
A Hori RBI double and Shawn Ogata RBI ground out again cut the visitors lead to a run.
Waimea’s Correa strolled home with his third run of the day on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth inning.
Consecutive errors in the field put Villatora and Casey Oketani aboard in the bottom half.
Kyle Higashi, who replaced Itamura in center field the previous inning, drove a clutch single through the right side to cash in Villatora.
An errant pitch moved the runners up and courtesy runner Brad Correa sprinted home to deadlock the contest at 9-9 on Itamuras expert squeeze.
Waimea second baseman M. Ishibashi came up with the key defensive play of the game as he dived to his left to haul in Jake Oketani’s potential go-ahead smash to the right side.
Kaua’i again put the tying run aboard in the final inning but an acrobatic two-out stab by Aki behind second for a force-out at the bag ended the back-and-forth affair to put the improbable Menehunes one step closer to the first round crown.
The Menehunes, however, will have to first get by the idle Kapa’a Warriors (3-3) at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, in the first round title game at Hanapepe Ball Park.
The KIF Skinny
KIF Standings
Team W L GB
Waimea 4 3 –
Kapa’a 3 3 .5
Kaua’i 3 4 1
Monday’s game
@ Vidinha Stadium
Waimea 10, Kaua’i 9
April 17
Waimea vs. Kapa’a
@ Hanapepe.
Playoff. 2:45 p.m.
location TBA
