LIHU‘E — The unprecedented streak continues. The West Kaua‘i Youth Baseball League swept both the bronco and mustang series in Lihu‘e yesterday, with the westside broncos winning, 8-3 and the mustang’s following suit with a 13-7 victory, to claim the
LIHU‘E — The unprecedented streak continues. The West Kaua‘i Youth Baseball League swept both the bronco and mustang series in Lihu‘e yesterday, with the westside broncos winning, 8-3 and the mustang’s following suit with a 13-7 victory, to claim the 2004 Kaua‘i championships.
The broncos started out at the main diamond adjacent to the convention hall, as West Kaua‘i jumped on the Lihu‘e all-stars early with a 3-0 lead in the third, thanks to runs from Nainoa Nobrega, Alex Palacio, and Paul Correa.
Palacio was able to shut down the Lihu‘e bats, who were quieted until the fifth frame. The eastsiders also had trouble all day long on the defensive side, committing costly errors, allowing the westsiders to take control of the contest.
Up 5-0 in the fifth, Trent Allianic and Nobrega crossed the plate to take a 7-0 commanding lead going into Lihu‘e’s half of the fifth, where they got on the board with Taren Tani scoring off of a West Kaua‘i error. Christian Largo ripped an RBI double, scoring Dustin Julian, to cut the lead to 7-2.
Kamaile Kapanui contributed to the westside cause with an RBI to make it 8-2. Then, Jessica Iwata rounded out the scoring with an RBI single, scoring Jordan Garcia to make the final score, 8-3 in favor of the westside all-stars.
Meanwhile, in the mustang championship West Kaua‘i put up four runs in the initial innings to go up 4-0, but Lihu‘e answered with seven runs to take the lead 7-4 in the third. West Kaua‘i continued to pile up the runs with six of their own runs, for a 10-7 lead going into the fifth.
Chyson Goias highlighted the scoring attack with a 3-run smack over the fence for West Kaua‘i. Mikeo Rita and Dallas Correa added to the westside lead with Rita slapping a 2-RBI single and Correa belting an RBI single for a 13-7 West Kaua‘i advantage in the fifth.
Goias came up big on the mound also, as he struck out two Lihu‘e batters with the bases juiced.
Rita came through with the glove in the sixth with a great catch in centerfield to send the Lihu‘e all-stars packing, as West Kaua‘i took the title, 13-7.
Duane Shimogawa, Sports Editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) and kauaisports@pulitzer.net
