LIHU‘E —Kyana Hirokane, Melia Aki and Daeja Cummings each punched homeruns to lead the Kaua‘i High School softball team to 15-5 and 20-10 wins over Kapa‘a, Saturday at Isenberg Park. The win sets the stage for another Red Raider-Menehune showdown,
LIHU‘E —Kyana Hirokane, Melia Aki and Daeja Cummings each punched homeruns to lead the Kaua‘i High School softball team to 15-5 and 20-10 wins over Kapa‘a, Saturday at Isenberg Park.
The win sets the stage for another Red Raider-Menehune showdown, Saturday when the Raiders travel to the Waimea Canyon Park for a double-header starting at 10 a.m.
With the double win, Kaua‘i improves to 3-1 while Kapa‘a drops to 0-4 on the season. Waimea, taking a big win over Kaua‘i, Wednesday, is at 3-0 heading to a single game against Kapa‘a, Wednesday at the New Kapa‘a Town Park.
Red Raider bats came out of the closet as Kaua‘i piled up 18 hits in its 15-5 win and followed that with another 15 hits in the nightcap 20-10 victory.
Hirokane finished 3-for-3 in Game 1 with two singles and the two-run homer in the fifth frame to lead the Kaua‘i bats in the first set, the versatile infielders scoring once, and walking once.
Starting pitcher Naja Pungan also finished with three hits, scored once and drove in one run. Wailea Kaneali‘i was 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring three times and driving in two runs. Kawai Klatenhoff was also 3-for-4 in the box and scored twice. Malu Hornos finished 2-for-5, scoring once and drove three runs home to round out the first game hitters.
Leilani Capsillo was 0-for-2 at the plate but drove two runs for Kapa‘a in Game 1. Ta’ashi Napoleon was 1-for-2 with an RBI, Kalia Kaui ending 1-for-3 with an RBI and Reggie McCabe finished 1-for-1 and scored twice to lead the Lady Warrior bats.
Pungan picked up her second win on the hill with a five-inning performance, allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits while walking four and striking out three.
Napoleon suffered the loss with 15 runs, nine earned, on 18 hits while striking out two and walking five.
Kaua‘i shortstop Ka‘a La‘amela traded in her mitt for the pitcher’s mound in Game 2 where she put in a full game performance for her first win on the hill.
La‘amela finished with 10 runs, two earned, on 10 hits allowed while striking out three and walking three for the win.
In the box, she finished 3-for-5 with three runs driven in and scored twice as one of the Raiders’ leading hitters.
Daeja Cummings topped the Kaua‘i bats, conking a homer in the second inning en route to finishing 2-for-3 in the box with two runs driven in and scoring twice.
Hirokane followed her first game performance with a 3-for-3 showing in the box with a run driven in and scoring twice, getting walked twice in the outing.
Pungan, playing second base in Game 2, ended with a 2-for-3 showing with two runs driven in and scored four times to round out the hitting leaders.
Melina Obar suffered the loss on the hill for Kapa‘a, striking out three, walking just one batter, but allowing eight runs, five earned, on 11 hits in 3.2 innings.
Reggie McCabe led the Lady Warrior bats with a 2-for-4 showing with a run batted in and scored once.
Lenele Cabinatan and Kalia Kaui each ended 1-for-3 with an RBI and scored once. LeRae’ Ho‘opi‘i finished 2-for-3 with an RBI and scored once.
Priscilla Lutz and Napoleon each finished 2-for-4 and scored once, Napoleon also posting an RBI to round out the Kapa‘a hitters.
Kapa‘a will host Waimea in a single game at the Kapa‘a New Town Park starting at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
