Kaua‘i keeps hope alive with extra-inning win

HANAPEPE — Needing three straight wins to force a playoff for the first-round title, the Kaua‘i Red Raiders came through with a 7-6, eight-inning victory over the Waimea Menehune, Wednesday at Hanapepe Stadium.

It is the first loss of the season for Waimea (4-1-1), which will now have to sit and wait to see if the playoff will be necessary.

Kaua‘i (2-1-1) kept itself alive when Stephen Perreira scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth. As was the case much of the day, the Raiders manufactured a run without a hit, as Perreira was hit by a pitch, then took both second and third base on wild pitches, before coming home on a passed pall.

The Raiders will take on the Kapa‘a Warriors (0-4) in a doubleheader Saturday at the Ron Martin Field in Kapa‘a. Kaua‘i must win both games to force a first-place tie with Waimea and a first-round playoff game.

Wednesday’s seven runs were scored on just two Kaua‘i hits in the game. The first hit was a huge blast as Travis Koga smashed a two-run homer to left-center field in the top of the first inning as the Raiders jumped ahead 2-0.

Kaua‘i’s only other hit came on a Kellen Aquino RBI single in the fourth inning, which scored pinch runner Kendall Rivera.

Shea Shimabukuro got the win for the Raiders, as he entered the game in the bottom of the third in relief of Koga and went the rest of the way. Shimabukuro threw 6.0 innings and gave up two runs on seven hits, walked two and struck out four.

Kaimana Perreira-Alquiza suffered the loss, as he went the final 2.2 innings without surrendering a hit, but gave up the one run. He walked one and struck out four.

The Waimea bats were loud most of the game, but the Menehune let a few opportunities fall by the wayside. They piled up 11 hits in the game, seven of them coming in the second and third innings, as they took a 5-2 lead.

After going down 2-0 in the first, Waimea got three runs on three hits in the second, as Shawn Tavares lined a two-RBI single that scored Shylen Keuma and Alika Emayo. Both runners had singled and then been advanced on a sac bunt by Jordan Kamakea. Tavares scored the go-ahead run on a Kaua‘i error, giving the Menehune the 3-2 lead after two innings.

Chyson Soares led off the third with a double and then scored on an Emayo one-out single. Kamakea also doubled and Tavares picked up his third RBI of the game with a single for a 5-2 Menehune lead after three.

The Raiders re-gained the lead in the fourth, starting with a walk to Austin Oshiro.

Kendall Rivera came on to run for Oshiro and stole second base, then advanced to third when Erin Doi reached on an error. Aquino singled to score Rivera.

Bryton Lumabao then struck out swinging, but took first base on the dropped third strike, while Doi raced home to score on the same play.

Shimabukuro brought home Aquino on an RBI squeeze bunt to even things up and Lumabao scored the go-ahead run on a Waimea error to move ahead 6-5.

Waimea starting pitcher Mikeo Rita went the first 3.1 innings and gave up six runs — three earned — on two hits while walking three and striking out four.

Keuma replaced Rita on the mound and went 1.2 innings without giving up a run or a hit, walking three.

Kamakea had a one-out double in the bottom of the fifth inning, then stole third base and saw the throw sail into left field. He came home to even the game at 6-6.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, Perreira-Alquiza smashed a 2-1 pitch to deep left field but the ball curved foul and he eventually had to settle for a walk.

A fielder’s choice and a pop out to second base ended the game with Kaua‘i getting the important win.

Koga started the game for Kaua‘i and gave up four runs, three of them earned, on three hits. He walked one and struck out one in two-plus innings.

The first game Saturday between Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

The second game will follow a 30-minute break at the conclusion of the opener.