KALAHEO — The Lihu‘e Youth Baseball League All-Stars scored an amazing 10 runs in the fourth inning to secure its championship win over the West Kaua‘i Youth Baseball League 18-4 in four innings, yesterday. “I guess they just turned it
KALAHEO — The Lihu‘e Youth Baseball League All-Stars scored an amazing 10 runs in the fourth inning to secure its championship win over the West Kaua‘i Youth Baseball League 18-4 in four innings, yesterday.
“I guess they just turned it on in the fourth,” said Lihu‘e coach Milton Koga, who also mentioned that he hadn’t seen his team do anything like that before.
A downpour in the morning threatened to dampen Game 3 of the Mustang Division Championship series, but the skies cleared up just before the start of the game.
Lihu‘e won the first game of the series Tuesday, 13-4, then West Kaua‘i evened it out, winning Game 2, Thursday, 9-4.
Koga reminded his team that West Kaua‘i was a good team, having forced this final game, and that this championship game would be a “battle.”
Lihu‘e was up to bat first with the left-handed Nakoa Ibaan getting the first hit. Next up, was D.J. Alao who hit an RBI double to score Ibaan. Then first baseman Bryton Lumabao hit a home run, his first of two, straight back to the red and black umbrellas far out center field, bringing the early score to 3-0. The inning ended 4-0.
West Kaua‘i came right up Lihu‘e’s backs at the bottom of the first, with Deven Vidinha-Lazaro and Acetyn Emayo scoring off a Kalawaia Judd hit, to bring the score to 4-2.
West Kaua‘i would only score 0 runs to Lihu‘e’s 4 in the third inning.
Vallatini led off and advanced to first base on a wild pitch. Then came Lumabao who singled center. Tyler Manibog would follow up with a bunt. The bunt was short, but when West Kaua‘i’s Emayo picked up the ball, he couldn’t decide which base to throw to. The result of that hesitation was loaded bases.
Another slightly confusing play came shortly after that when Lihu‘e’s Michael Farley took a far lead off of first base. West Kaua‘i pitcher Judd threw to first base to throw out Farley. West Kaua‘i first baseman Brayden Perez didn’t tag Farley and when he attempted to chase him, Lihu‘e’s Lumabao got the go-ahead to score, bringing them up 6-3. Farley and Manibog would also score.
At the top of the fourth, Lihu‘e just got hit after hit and went through its whole batting rotation. Alao led off and was walked. Vallatini hit an RBI double to score Alao, then Lumabao followed with an RBI double.
Lihu‘e scored 10 runs on seven hits.
West Kaua‘i’s scorers were Emayo, Judd, Rylan Nakahiki-Torres and Brock Ephan.
Ibaan went 2-for-4, as did Alao and Vallatini. Lumabao was the big man of the game going 4-for-4 with two home runs.
Lihu‘e’s pitcher Planas was credited with the win, pitching three innings and allowing three runs.
“They played a good game,” said West Kaua‘i coach Caesar Duarte. “They’re a good team and unfortunately somebody had to win the game. This teaches the kids good sportsmanship.”
Despite the score, Koga didn’t think it was an easy win.
“That’s a good Westside team and we had to battle to win,” he said.
Lihu‘e now travels to Honolulu for the state championship to be played later this month.
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
