HANAPEPE — Mikeo Rita reinforced his presence as the ace for the West Kaua‘i mustang all-stars, as he pitched a complete game gem to give the westside team a leg up on the Lihu‘e all-stars, 10-5 at the Hanapepe Ballpark
HANAPEPE — Mikeo Rita reinforced his presence as the ace for the West Kaua‘i mustang all-stars, as he pitched a complete game gem to give the westside team a leg up on the Lihu‘e all-stars, 10-5 at the Hanapepe Ballpark yesterday.
Rita came through with the pitches when he needed it and proved all afternoon long that he is one of the best youth baseball pitchers on the island.
Lihu‘e came out in the initial inning to take their first and only lead of the game with a Jensen Koga fielder’s choice RBI, scoring Isaac Ramboyon for a 1-0 lead. West Kaua‘i answered in their half of the first with two runs, as Alika Emayo and Rita crossed the plate.
Lihu‘e starting pitcher, Trey Contrades, along with Rita buckled down in the second inning, allowing only one run between the two hurlers. Caleb Licke was able to give West Kaua‘i a 3-1 advantage, by scoring on a Lihu‘e error.
In the third, the eastside team managed to climb back into the game, by knotting it up at 3-3, thanks to Travis Koga’s triple, scoring Jensen Koga and on the next play, Travis Koga stole home for the tie.
West Kaua‘i scratched back and took the lead for good in their half of the third, as Rita knocked an RBI single, scoring Bryson Tacata. Then, Dallas Correa got into the action with another RBI single to score Rita for a 5-3 West Kaua‘i lead.
Brigg Kupo-Perreira slapped a two-RBI ground rule double to leftfield, scoring Shylan Keuma and Correa. Licke followed with a two-RBI bunt single that scored pinch runner Kendall Kaohi and Chyson Goias-Cortez.
Lihu‘e’s Kellen Aquino relieved Contrades and made his presence felt right away as he struck out Alika Emayo to end the inning with West Kaua‘i up 9-3.
Lihu‘e crept back into the contest to close to gap to four, as Ramboyon and Jensen Koga scored to make it 9-5 in favor of the westside squad.
West Kaua‘i closed out the game with a token run from Keuma, who scored thanks to Goias-Cortez’s bunt single for a 10-5 win.
Kaimana Perreira-Alquiza made the play of the day, with a leaping catch between first and second base for the final out of the game. The second game in this best of three match-up is set for 11:30 a.m., Saturday at the new mustang field, behind the old police station.
