Kaua‘i High School’s baseball team earned is spot in the state tournament yesterday when the Raiders defeated Waimea High School in game one of the double header yesterday, 10-0. Waimea rebounded in game two though, taking the games to extra
Kaua‘i High School’s baseball team earned is spot in the state tournament yesterday when the Raiders defeated Waimea High School in game one of the double header yesterday, 10-0. Waimea rebounded in game two though, taking the games to extra innings, to win 10-9.
But the Raiders had won Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title with the game one win. The game ended in the sixth inning because the Raiders were up 10 runs.
Raider coach Hank Ibia said winning early on was the gameplan for the day.
“Things worked out for us,” Ibia said.
Jordan Buster (5-0) got the win, pitching six innings, giving up five hits, zero walks and throwing five strikeouts.
Broc Santiago was strapped with the loss in game one, going 42/3 innings. Santiago gave up six runs, half of which were earned. Chris Kaiakapu came in relief and gave up 4 runs, one earned.
Kaua‘i’s hitters for the morning were Ryson Sakamoto, who went 1-for-3 and scored 2 runs. Andrew Renaud went 2-for-4, scored a run and 1 RBI. Aaron Soong went 2-for-3, scored 2 runs and had an RBI.
For Waimea, Santiago had a good game, going 2-for-3 with one double.
Game two of the double header, however, was more eventful.
Waimea came from behind to tie the game and eventually win the game.
“This game was all about pride,” said Waimea coach Kelly Robinson. “They played how they should’ve played all season.”
At the top of the sixth, there was a pretty sticky play when Mason Lorenzo hit an RBI single. Lorenzo came around first, heading towards second when he maybe had a second thought. He hesitated, went back and forth between first and second while Kaua‘i anticipated which way he was going. A runner scored in the process, but Lorenzo was eventually tapped out.
Then at the bottom of the sixth, Kaua‘i’s first baseman Schyler Arakaki hit an RBI triple, driving in Renaud. Arakaki would later score in a wild pitch. Arakaki finished game two, 2-for-5, scoring two runs and had 3 RBI.
Egan Kouchi’s first hit of the season was an RBI.
Ryson Sakamoto went 2-for-5, scoring two runs, and an RBI double. Renaud was 3-for-4, scoring two runs and an RBI. Jonathan Gebauer was 2-for-3 with two RBI and two triples. Kaua‘i’s lone senior, catcher Jahga Calves and Kalen Wakamoto also scored.
Waimea’s pitcher Kelly Batis came in relief and was awarded the win, pitching three innings and giving up only two runs. Batis hit 1-for-4 and scored a run. Cole Parongao and catcher Kaulana Judd were only 1-for-5 on the game and both scored runs.
Loren Duarte was 2-for-6, scoring a run and an RBI.
Lorenzo was 2-for-3 and scored. Allen Pancho was 1-for-3 and scored.
Bradley Frasco was the best hitter for the Menehune yesterday, going 3-for-3, scoring two runs and an RBI.
Kaua‘i goes on to the state tournament which will be held at the Les Murakami Stadium at the University of Hawai‘i. ua‘i’s last state appearance was in 2005. Kaua‘i beat Pearl City in Round 1 but lost to top-ranked Punahou.
The state tournament starts the second week of May.
