KAPA’A – The Kapa’a A offense stayed as hot as the sweltering midday sun as they swept a pair from Zaps in Kaua’i Summer Youth Baseball action at Kapa’a Ball Park on Saturday. Kapa’a topped Zaps by scores of 4-3
KAPA’A – The Kapa’a A offense stayed as hot as the sweltering midday sun as they swept a pair from Zaps in Kaua’i Summer Youth Baseball action at Kapa’a Ball Park on Saturday.
Kapa’a topped Zaps by scores of 4-3 and 14-4 (in 6 innings).
Game 1: Kapa’a A 4 Zaps 3
The featured game of the week was the exciting opener in the first meeting between these squads from the southwest and east sides of the Garden Island.
The Zaps got on the board first as Chad Rita led off the contest with a single up the box, advanced on a ground out, and scampered in on a Leonard Zalopany RBI-single through the right side off Kapa’a starter Jared Raquel.
Kapa’a responded in their first at bat as Raquel tripled to right with two down and scored on Makana Maldonado’s RBI-base hit.
The eastsiders took full advantage of two Zaps fielding errors, a couple of walks and a Raquel single in the bottom of the second frame to plate an additional pair to go up 3-1.
Zaps cut the lead in half as Kane Zalopany reached safely and came around on a trio of Kapa’a defensive lapses in the third.
Kapa’a added its final tally when Bronson Carvalho’s RBI-single to right drove in speedy Chris Lary in the home half for a 4-2 advantage.
Zaps pieced together three consecutive hits in the top of the sixth but could only bring across a lone Kamanu Grace run to fall just short as Raquel and reliever Tyler Wakuta closed the door in the latter stages of the nail biter.
Raquel, whose hurling and hitting led the Kapa’a attack, went 6-1/3 innings on the hill and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks while recording 3 strikeouts. Wakuta, who started at shortstop, pitched the final 2/3 inning and left the tying and winning runs aboard in the top of the seventh to record the save.
Jared Raquel went 2-3 at the plate with a triple, RBI and run to his credit. Also standing out for Kapaa were Bronson Carvalho (2-3, RBI) and Chris Lary who scored twice.
Infielder Leonard Zalopany paced the Zaps offensive effort with a 2-4 (double, RBI) morning.
Game 2: Kapa’a 14 Zaps 4
The Kapa’a A offense scored in every frame and the Warrior defense turned three double plays to win by 10-run mercy rule in the second game of the double header.
In picking up the victory, Makana Maldonado pitched 6 strong innings and gave up 4 runs on 8 scattered hits, 3 walks and 2 hit batters.
Brennan (3-3, 2 doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 runs, BB) and Bronson (2-3, double, sac fly, 3 RBIs, run) Carvalho scorched Zaps pitching while teammates Keoni Nakano (triple, RBI, 2 runs),Raquel (2-2, double, 2 HBP, RBI, 4 runs), Maldonado (double, HBP, 2 RBIs, run) and Brad Wakuta (triple, HBP, RBI, run) additionally excelled.
Ian Kahale (2-3, 2 RBIs, run) and L. Zalopany (2-3, stolen base, run) stood out in a losing effort.
In other action Saturday at the Vidinha Stadium diamond, Koloa picked up its third and fourth victories of the summer break with an 11-1 (in 5 innings) and 8-7 sweep of their own over Kapaa B.
League ace Alec Reichle limited Kapaa to a lone run on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 13 hitters in the opener. Reichle also rapped out a pair of singles at the plate and drove in 3 runs to pace Koloa. Casey Oketani (3-4, RBI, run) and Rodney Baptiste (2-2, double, RBI, run) also contributed heavily to the winners offensive production.
Karl Kimura doubled in two plate appearances for Kapaa B.
In game 2, Koloa cashed in four runs in the top of the seventh inning and Casey Oketani shut out Kapaa B in the home half to cap the save on an improbable 8-7 victory.
Kirby Yates picked up the win with two innings in relief and banged out 4 singles in as many plate appearances while driving in a pair and scoring once. Jake Oketani (2-4, triple, 2 runs), Kevin Mercado (double), Casey Oketani (single, 2 runs), and Rodney Baptiste (single, RBI, 2 runs) stood out for the victors while Rayton Bonilla (double, run) and Kalani Miyashiro (triple, 2 runs) led Kapaa B.
Tuesday’s games
HANAPEPE – Dustin Mundon, Kai Lopez and Kalani Miyashiro combined on a two-hit 5-3 decision as Kapa’a B defeated Zaps in Tuesday’s contest at the Hanapepe Ball Park.
Miyashiro (2-3, double, HBP) led the victors offensively and teammate Kyle Neuberger contributed a pair of singles and scored a run. Kane Zalopany (sac bunt, sac fly, walk, RBI), Chad Rita (hit twice, walk, run), and Leonard Zalopany (hit twice, 2 stolen bases) paced the Zaps effort.
Yesterday’s action between league-leaders Koloa and Westside was rescheduled to 4:30 p.m. today and moved to Hanapepe to accomodate the ongoing Kaua’i Hospice July 4th Concert In The Sky set-up at Vidinha Stadium.
Summer League Baseball
League Standings
Team W/L
Koloa 4-1
Westside 3-1
Kapa’a A 4-2
Kapa’a B 2-4
Zaps 0-5
Play resumes Saturday morning with 10 a.m. double-headers at Kapa’a and Hanapepe diamonds.
