WAIMEA — When Lihu‘e beat Hanama‘ulu 6-1 last Wednesday, one of the things that worried coach Trent Shimbukuro was the heat in Waimea. But that fear was waylaid as brisk trades blowing off the Koke‘e plateau kept the heat down.
WAIMEA — When Lihu‘e beat Hanama‘ulu 6-1 last Wednesday, one of the things that worried coach Trent Shimbukuro was the heat in Waimea.
But that fear was waylaid as brisk trades blowing off the Koke‘e plateau kept the heat down.
Lihu‘e batters got the ball high into the jet stream toward right field in route to a 14-2 win over the Waimea Jays Sunday at Waimea Canyon Park.
Trey Shimabukuro lit the fireworks with a two-run shot to deep right, scoring Jessica Iwata and Lanning Rice-Kashima for a 3-0 lead.
Earlier, lead-off hitter Rysan Sakamoto singled, advanced on Waimea miscues before scoring on a sacrifice fly.
Later, Kota Cooper launched an RBI smack to right, scoring Shimabukuro. Another Waimea error allowed Cooper to score on the same play.
Kaulana Waalani-Arroyo then stretched a single into a double to set the stage for Taran Tani’s base-clearing rip to right to increase the lead to 7-0.
Waimea answered when shortstop Dillon Ishihara walked and scored when infielder Alex Palacio got confused at second base, but it wasn’t enough.
Lihu‘e continued to hit Waimea pitcher Steven Werner, who went the distance in the loss. Waimea’s only other run came in the third inning as Palacio scored on an RBI single from Andrew Ouderkirk.
The win improves Lihu‘e’s record to 8-1. Action continues Wednesday, when Lihu‘e travels to Anne Knudsen Park in Koloa while Hanama‘ulu hosts Kapa‘a at Vidinha Stadium. Kekaha, who beat Kapa‘a 4-1 earlier on Sunday, will play at Waimea. All games begin at 4:15 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) and dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
