HANAPEPE — Fireworks went off for Hanapepe Cubs coach Howard Frasco on Wednesday. The Cubs capitalized against Kapa‘a pitcher Collin Pungan and with four hits, generated six runs in the second inning en route to an 8-3 win over Kapa‘a
HANAPEPE — Fireworks went off for Hanapepe Cubs coach Howard Frasco on Wednesday.
The Cubs capitalized against Kapa‘a pitcher Collin Pungan and with four hits, generated six runs in the second inning en route to an 8-3 win over Kapa‘a to advance in the playoffs of the Protect Our Nation’s Youth baseball at the Hanapepe Stadium.
But Frasco was nowhere to be seen at the baseball field.
He was helping deliver his third daughter, Khloe, who was born shortly after 5 p.m. at the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital, entering the world at seven pounds, 9.3 ounces.
Tevin Rita, the Cubs’ pitcher, went the distance to pick up the win, allowing just two runs on seven Kapa‘a hits while striking out eight batters, including five in the first two innings, and walking none.
Rita had no hits, but marked an RBI when he scored Cy Corona in the second inning on a walk, the fourth of six runs piled up by the Cubs in that frame.
Derrick Callejo opened that inning on a walk followed by right-fielder Sienna Santiago getting a bunt single. Andrew Dutton walked to load the bags with no outs.
Corona was hit by a pitch to score Callejo and catcher Pono Rull came up with an RBI infield single to push Santiago home. Ka‘eo Parongao singled to score Dutton before Rita’s walk with no outs.
That forced a Kapa‘a pitching change, but two more runs came in before the greenshirts got out of the frame as Chava Delos Reyes pushed Rull home on a fielder’s choice and Parongao scored the first of his two runs on a passed ball for the 6-0 lead.
But Kapa‘a was not to be denied as Kepa Juarez smacked an inside-the-park homer that rolled to the left-field fence in the fourth inning.
He followed that feat with a two-RBI double in the fifth inning to score Pungan and Derrick Yamane, Pungan getting first on a fielder’s choice and Yamane getting first on an error.
Juarez topped the Kapa‘a bats with a 3-for-4 showing, including a homer, a double and a single, scoring once with two RBIs. Pungan was 1-for-3 with a double for the Kapa‘a hitting leaders.
Parongao and Delos Reyes led the Cubs’ hitting, each finishing 2-for-4 with an RBI apiece. Isiah Aguinaldo, Rull and Santiago singled to round out the Cubs’ hitting.
With the win, the Cubs advance to face Kekaha at the Kekaha field on Tuesday starting at 4:15 p.m.
“It’s all for the kids,” said Cubs’ head coach Royce Ijima. “They work hard and all we do is prepare them for on and off the field.”
With the win under his belt, one of the parents said coach Frasco still had the Kekaha School May Day program to attend since one of his older daughters was part of the pagentry.
PONY baseball playoffs continue Thursday afternoon at Vidinha Stadium when the regular season champions Lihu‘e hosts No. 2 Kalawai in a single game starting at 4:15 p.m.
