Brayden Abreu smacked a line drive to centerfield to give the Kalawai Cardinals the West Kaua‘i Mustang championship Saturday at the Kalawai Park. Trailing by as much as five runs, the Cardinals never gave up against the Kekaha Angels, and
Brayden Abreu smacked a line drive to centerfield to give the Kalawai Cardinals the West Kaua‘i Mustang championship Saturday at the Kalawai Park.
Trailing by as much as five runs, the Cardinals never gave up against the Kekaha Angels, and Abreu’s shot in the sixth inning iced the comeback effort when his RBI shot drove another Brayden — Brayden Perez — across the plate for the 13-12 edge.
“What a game!” was the description provided by Caroline Freudig, the Cardinals’ team mom.
In addition to the championship, the win at Kalawai Park redeemed the Cardinals’ earlier loss at the hands of the Angels, 6-4, on May 7.
With the victory, the Cardinals pocket the WK Mustang trophy and finish the season 11-3.
The Angels broke a 2-2 deadlock established in the first inning, and following four and a half innings of play, had established a commanding 12-5 lead.
But the Cardinals battled back with four runs to set the stage for the bottom of the sixth inning when they entered the batting box.
Trailing 12-9, the first three Cardinal batters loaded the bases by walking. With one away, Brayden Perez crushed a centerfield 2-RBI shot which drove Stevie Yannarell and Brennan Ferrara across the plate for a 12-11 Kekaha lead.
Levi Sagucio, the closing pitcher for the Cardinals, followed in the lineup and whacked an RBI double to score Donald Traller for the 12-12 tie, setting the stage for Abreu’s line drive, and the title.
Caesar Duarte is the head coach for the Kalawai Cardinals. P.J. Ferrara and Jeremy Inman are the assistant coaches.
Team members include Brayden Abreu, Patrick Traller, Brennan Ferrara, Brayden Perez, Sydney Garza-Eguchi, Tyler Lewis, Aidan Smith Matthew Nishimoto, Trevor Freudig, Sagucio, Donald Traller, Topher Inman, Yannarell and Dexter Potter.
