The Kaua‘i High School Red Raiders laid a six-pack on the Kapa‘a Warriors in the first inning and never looked back, scoring six runs on three hits, four walks and four Warrior errors for all the offense they needed. They
The Kaua‘i High School Red Raiders laid a six-pack on the Kapa‘a Warriors in the first inning and never looked back, scoring six runs on three hits, four walks and four Warrior errors for all the offense they needed.
They cruised to an 13-0 win in five innings, clinching the second-round Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys baseball crown and forcing a one-game playoff with Waimea High for the KIF championship and the league’s lone berth in the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II state tournament next month.
The KIF championship game will be at 2:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, at Hanapepe Stadium, as a result of the Menehune winning a coin flip conducted yesterday on the Kaua‘i High campus after the conclusion of the Kapa‘a-Kaua‘i matchup at the Ron Martin Athletic Field on the Kapa‘a High campus.
The coin flip was conducted at the Kaua‘i High gym during the KIF boys volleyball game between Kapa‘a and Kaua‘i.
In the first inning, Rysan Sakamoto had a two-RBI double down the left field line, which scored Dustin Prem and Kaylen Wakumoto, who reached base on a bunt single. Lanan Rice-Kashima had a two-RBI single to right, scoring Jordan Leanio and Sakamoto. Dayne Murata and courtesy runner Shea Shimabukuro, running for Rice-Kashima, scored when Prem reached for his second time in the inning on multiple Kapa‘a errors.
The four walks issued by Warrior starter Kysen Lopez came back to hurt Kapa‘a in the first inning, as three of the four Raiders who walked scored in that frame.
The Raiders added four more runs in the top of the second, with Egan Kouchi’s first hit of the season, a single, good for two RBIs, scoring Leanio and Sakamoto, before Murata cracked a triple to right good for two RBIs, scoring Kouchi and Dalston Miyasato.
Again, two Raiders who walked in the second inning scored in that frame.
After the Raiders built the early lead, Head Coach Hank Ibia made wholesale changes to let many on his bench players get some innings in, and they responded by adding to the sizable Raider lead, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth inning to end the scoring.
“Their pitchers never threw strikes,” said Ibia. “We had some big hits,” and the Warriors made errors, he said, declaring his club ready for Waimea and the one-game playoff for the league championship.
“Yeah,” they’re ready, he said. “It doesn’t matter where the game is played,” but it would be nice if it could be a home game for the Raiders, he admitted.
“I think so,” Ibia responded when asked if he thinks his squad is peaking at the right time. “So far, everything’s working out all right for us right now.”
BJ Aiwohi had two hits for Kapa‘a, and Mick Voigt had the other Warrior hit.
The Raiders flashed the gloves and arms in the infield as well, turning two double plays to erase four Warrior runners.
Before the game, Kapa‘a Head Coach Gordon Muramaru had some things to say about his two seniors, Ekolu Yam and Stevie Lutz, who played their last high school game yesterday afternoon.
Muramaru called Yam “a good leader, a team leader, hard-nosed. He’s a good, hard-working kid,” and was the Warriors leadoff batter and starting center fielder.
He described Lutz as a “hard worker. He worked really hard, came a long way. He works hard and plays hard.” Lutz played infield and outfield.
“I’m going to miss their leadership,” Muramaru said.
Paul C. Curtis, sports writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or pcurtis@kauaipubco.com
