Makaweli shortstop Leighton Otoman was 4-6, drove in three runs and scored three times to lead the Indians to a 14-8 win over Hanapepe, Sunday. The win gives the Indians the title for the Americans of Japanese Ancestry baseball league,
Makaweli shortstop Leighton Otoman was 4-6, drove in three runs and scored three times to lead the Indians to a 14-8 win over Hanapepe, Sunday.
The win gives the Indians the title for the Americans of Japanese Ancestry baseball league, the team finishing with a 7-1 record.
Tied in points going into Sunday’s contest, the fans turned out in force for the showdown that saw the Indians dig deep after their pitching gave out in the fifth inning.
Hanapepe Rivermen churned up six runs in the sixth inning, capitalizing on the weakened Makaweli mound, but found themselves in the same predicament as the Indians answered with eight runs in the eighth inning for the victory.
Hanapepe finished 6-2-1 for the season, and following Kalaheo’s 21-18 win over the Lihu‘e Builders, the Kalaheo Kaneshiro Farmers filled in third place with a 5-3 record. Waimea Tsunami (2-6) and Lihu‘e (0-7-1) round out the league standings.
Makaweli started strong, building a 7-0 lead through six innings, but starting pitcher Jason Nakata gave up five walks in the bottom of the sixth to put Hanapepe on the boards chasing one run 7-6.
Makaweli tried to rebuild, but left one on in the seventh, and Hanapepe came back to tie the contest 7-7 after Scott Yamase, singling to left field with one out, scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Wendall Nonaka.
With the time limit looming, Hanapepe went to the mound for the third time in the eighth inning and the Indians lumberyard came alive as Makaweli whacked out six hits and scored seven times for the win.
Following Otoman, Sean Jardin (1-4) drove in three runs and scored three times. Jason Miyazaki, coming up empty on his first two at-bats, finished 2-5, driving in two runs while scoring twice. Ikaika Pezario (2-3) also drove in two runs while scoring once to lead the Makaweli showing.
Tyrus Matsumoto paced the Hanapepe hitting with a 1-4 showing while driving in two runs and scoring once. Vince Nitta (2-4), Wendall Nonaka (0-3), Kevin Suga (0-3), Mason Lorenzo (0-1), Keith Nonaka (1-3) and Kelly Robinson (1-3) each drove in a run apiece.
Owen Koishigawa, throwing for 2 1/3 innings, picked up the Makaweli win with three hits allowed while striking out one and walking two. Chris Kaiakapu suffered the loss for Hanapepe in 2/3 inning, giving up three hits and walking two.
In the nightcap, Kanea Arano whacked into an in-the-park homerun for three RBI to lead the Kalaheo bats.
Troy Kaneshiro (3-6) finished with five RBI for Kalaheo followed by Kaina McCallum (4-5) with three RBI. Kainoa Santos (1-5) and Zoomie Bukoski (1-5) posted two RBI each to round out the Kalaheo bats.
Mikey Cardinez (2-6) paced the Lihu‘e bats with a homerun and a triple followed by Isiah Horner (1-6) whacking a triple with three RBI. Stanley Morinaka (1-4) finished with two RBI to round out the Lihu‘e bats.
Cardinez suffered the loss for Lihu‘e through four innings, giving up nine hits while striking out two and walking one. Zoomie Bukoski picked up the win for Kalaheo, throwing for five innings while giving up five hits, striking out two and walking four.
With the win, Makaweli will form the core of a Kaua‘i AJA all-star team which will represent the island at the state tournament on Maui.
