LIHU‘E — The sense of urgency for the Menehune softball squad turned into an opening game win, 7-2 against the first-place Red Raider team, who picked up their first blemish of the season yesterday at Isenberg Park. However, Kaua‘i jumped
LIHU‘E — The sense of urgency for the Menehune softball squad turned into an opening game win, 7-2 against the first-place Red Raider team, who picked up their first blemish of the season yesterday at Isenberg Park.
However, Kaua‘i jumped out to an early lead in the second game and held on for the 9-8 win.
Kaua‘i, the first round champs, moved to 2-1 in the second round and Waimea now sits at 1-1. Kapa‘a also has one loss in the second round with a record of 0-1.
Sy Sagawa and Cassie Koerte pitched in the Waimea win, which included bat support from Moani Durant, Nue Wong, Melissa Moreno, Kodi Oyama, and Daelene Perreira. Waimea also got help from the Red Raider gloves, as Kaua‘i committed four errors in the first game to go along with its lack of hitting.
Jenna Mercado drove in both runs for the Red Raiders, scoring Sam Koga and Randi Oketani. Kaua‘i pitcher Sherri Gebauer couldn’t find the right stuff in the first game, as the Menehune bats pounced on her from the start.
In the second game, Waimea continued to pound away on Kaua‘i’s pitching, this time on Darcie Allianic. Oyama ripped an RBI double for the first run, scoring Moreno, and Oyama later scored on a walk. Perreira also crossed the plate in the first for the 3-0 lead.
Kaua‘i answered with two runs in its half of the first, thanks to Ulu Kelekoma’s inside-the-park homerun. Shana Tafiti scored on a three-base error by Waimea leftfielder Wong, which made the score, 3-2. Wong redeemed herself in the second inning with a nice diving catch.
Koerte’s RBI single in the third put Waimea back up by two, but Tafiti’s clever base running took the run back for the 4-3 Menehune lead. Waimea’s Perreira slapped an RBI single to score Moreno for the 5-3 advantage, but Tafiti came through again with a 2-RBI double, scoring A.J. Silva and Kelekoma to tie the score up at 5 a piece in the fourth. Kaua‘i wasn’t done, as Angela Kirchner slammed an RBI single, scoring Jordan Ramboyan (pinch running for Ashley Nonaka) for the 6-5 lead.
In the fifth, Kelekoma and Nonaka supplied RBI’s, which gave the Red Raiders some breathing room at 9-5. Koga, Silva, and Kelekoma crossed the plate for Kaua‘i. Waimea closed the gap in the sixth, as Durant and Moreno scored on errors. Oyama scored the last Waimea run, which wasn’t enough, as Allianic took control in the remaining innings for the 9-8 victory. KIF softball resumes Wednesday, Jan. 12, with Kapa‘a traveling to Waimea at 5:30 p.m.
