LIHU‘E – Tyrus Matsumoto scored four times to lead the Hanapepe Rivermen to a 14-4 victory over the Makaweli Indians, Sunday as the Kaua‘i AJA Baseball League opened its 2005 season at Vidinha Stadium. The contest was called on the
LIHU‘E – Tyrus Matsumoto scored four times to lead the Hanapepe Rivermen to a 14-4 victory over the Makaweli Indians, Sunday as the Kaua‘i AJA Baseball League opened its 2005 season at Vidinha Stadium.
The contest was called on the 10-run rule after seven innings of play.
Matsumoto, finishing the day 3-2 in the batter’s box, graced the win with a solid 3-run homer over the deep centerfield fence in the fourth inning to add insurance for the Rivermen who pulled ahead 8-3 after four frames.
Kelly Robinson opened up the fireworks in the first frame as he hit into a base-clearing triple with two outs to give Hanapepe an early 4-0 lead off Makaweli starter Jason Nakata.
Makaweli answered in the second frame as Royce Ijima got on board after being hit by a pitch and scored off an RBI by Brad Chiba.
Matsumoto fueled a four-run fourth frame to answer the Makaweli challenge with the Rivermen continuing to build to a 10-run lead with four runs in the sixth and adding a pair of runs in the seventh inning.
Troy Yamase (4-3), Kevin Suga (3-1), and Wendall Nonaka (3-1) each scored twice in the win with Keith Nonaka (1-1), Brandon Hew (2-1), and Rocky Aviguetero (4-1) each scoring once in the victory.
Ijima crossed the plate twice for Makaweli with Isaac Castillo and Lance Nakata chalking up the remaining Indian runs.
AJA baseball continues this coming Sunday at Vidinha Stadium with the first game of a double-header scheduled for 10 a.m.
