WAIMEA — Allen Pancho hit through the center to bring in teammates Keith Nonaka and Bradley Frasco putting Waimea High School on the board at the bottom of the second inning. That got the Menehune rolling as they went on
WAIMEA — Allen Pancho hit through the center to bring in teammates Keith Nonaka and Bradley Frasco putting Waimea High School on the board at the bottom of the second inning.
That got the Menehune rolling as they went on to beat the Kapa‘a High School Warriors in the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation’s season opener, 8-0 before Kapa‘a came back to take Game 2, 6-4 in a split of the opening day twinbill.
After Pancho’s 2 RBI, Loren Duarte singled right for 1 RBI.
By the bottom of the third, it was the same three, Nonaka, Frasco and Pancho in scoring position. With the bases loaded, Reggie Virgilia singled left for 2RBI to put the Menehune up 5-0.
At the top of the fourth, Kapa‘a just couldn’t score. Tyler Hadley and Cody Goais popping up fly balls. When both were caught CJ Jacinto stepped up to the plate, but hit a ground ball left which was a easy out at first for Waimea.
At the bottom, Kapa‘a’s Travis Shigeta hit Mason Lorenzo with a pitch, sending him to first. Kelly Batis fly-balled out, then Kaulana Judd singled left to advance Lorenzo to second. Max Ago stepped in as a courtesy runner for Judd, as Nonaka stepped up to bat.
Nonaka continued to be an asset to the team when he singled again, running in Lorenzo.
At the top of the fifth, Kapa‘a showed some promise when Travis Nakamura hit straight up the middle to take first. Kahai Nakano popped one high right taking first, while Nakamura sprinted for third.
With runners in each corner, Aaron Villatora stepped up to bat. As he popped a fly out, the Warriors went to the bottom of the fifth, scoreless with two runners left on.
Waimea’s Frasco hit a lead off single, to take first. As a wild pitch got away from Kapa‘a’s catcher Wesley Abalos, Frasco took second. Waimea’s pitcher Virgilia singled left, advancing Frasco to third. Then, Jayrold Watanabe came in to courtesy run for Virgilio. Shigeta threw another wild pitch, hitting the back wall, giving Frasco the opportunity to score and advancing Watanabe to second.
Watanabe advanced again after another Shigeta throw went too right. Shigeta moved over to play first and Everet Awong stepped in to pitch. Watanabe still went on to score, running in for Waimea’s final point.
Kapa‘a bounced back, though, taking the second of the double header, 6-4. Kapa‘a’s Goais earned the win, C.J. Jacinto got the save.
