LIHU‘E — After leading almost the entire game, the Waimea Lady Menehune found themselves in an extra-inning battle for the league title Wednesday night, but they weren’t stunned for long and capitalized on miscues and clutch hitting to win the
LIHU‘E — After leading almost the entire game, the Waimea Lady Menehune found themselves in an extra-inning battle for the league title Wednesday night, but they weren’t stunned for long and capitalized on miscues and clutch hitting to win the 2011 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship, 11-7 in eight innings over the Kaua‘i Red Raiders.
In front of a jam-packed crowd at Isenberg Park, with the bleachers packed and fans lining the outfield fence, Waimea clinched a spot in the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Datahouse Division II Softball tournament by scoring four runs in the top of the eighth inning and holding down the Kaua‘i bats in the bottom half.
Taylor Ephan scored the go-ahead run in the eighth on an outfield error. She had gotten aboard via a one-out single, then scored all the way from first when Gaylan “Ulu” Matagiese singled to center. The ball got away from a Kaua‘i defender, allowing Ephan to make the long trip home.
Matagiese then stole third base and came home to score on an RBI single from Cassandra Dupree. Dupree was driven in from second base on an RBI single by Alyssa Jardin, who later scored on an infield error to make it an 11-7 game.
Matagiese was 2 for 5 with a home run, two runs and three RBIs in the game, setting the tone early with a two-run, inside-the-park home run in the top of the first inning when Waimea jumped ahead 4-0.
Shelly Koerte got the win on the mound, throwing the complete game for Waimea. She gave up seven runs on 10 hits, but held down Kaua‘i long enough to get her team to states.
Waimea was aggressive from the start, as Sienna Santiago led off the game with a walk, then stole second and third base. She quickly scored on a Krysta Kali RBI single. Just two batters into the game, the Lady Menehune had a 1-0 lead.
One out later, Matagiese drove a pitch to right-center field and sprinted around the bags to beat the throw home. The homer put Waimea ahead 3-0. Davelynn Tafiti followed with a single, then moved to third on a ground-rule double by Dupree. Kaua‘i starting pitcher Naja Pungan was removed from the mound in favor of Aniase Soltren. An infield hit from Fiare Moe scored Tafiti from third, before Soltren struck out both Jacelynn Sabala-Rapanot and Santiago to end the inning, but not before the Menehune had built a 4-0 lead.
The Raiders got one back in the bottom half after a leadoff double by Daeja Cummings. She was sacrificed to third, then driven in with an RBI single by Kyana Hirokane.
Down 4-1 in the bottom of the second, Kaua‘i’s Adriana Medeiros led off with a single, then scored when Angel Camarillo reached on an error to center field. But both Camarillo and Malu Hornos were thrown out on the basepaths during the play, putting down the Kaua‘i rally.
The Raiders then evened the score in the bottom of the third, as Waileia Kaneali‘i had a leadoff single, followed by an inside-the-park homer from Cummings, tying up the game at 4-4.
Waimea struck back quickly, as Ephan laced a triple in the top of the fourth that brought home Santiago for a 5-4 Menehune lead. Matagiese then made it 6-4, lifting a fly ball to center field that allowed Ephan to tag up and score from third base.
They added one more in the top of the fifth when Kali had a two-out, RBI single to score Moe, who had reached on a walk earlier in the inning.
Trailing 7-4, Kaua‘i began its second comeback in the bottom of the sixth, when Melia Aki led off with a single. Medeiros then reached on an error, which plated Aki. Hornos beat out an infield single that scored Medeiros to make it a 7-6 game. Waimea ended the threat, inducing a double-play chopper and an infield pop up to get out of the inning, still holding the slim lead.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Cummings doubled to center field, taking second base on a gutsy decision with the ball in the defender’s hand. After a ground out put courtesy runner Kirra Jaquias at third, Kaua‘i was down to its final out. Sunni Efhan stepped to the plate and came through with an opposite-field double that brought Jaquias home to tie the game, 7-7.
The winning run on second base, Koerte managed to get an infield pop out to end the inning and keep Waimea’s season alive, though Kaua‘i felt the momentum swing its way with the late-inning heroics.
But the Menehune quickly got back to work with their four-run eighth, giving them the KIF title and guaranteed spot in the state tournament.
Kaua‘i still has a chance to make the HHSAA tournament in a play-in game, which will take place Saturday at 1 p.m., back at Isenberg Field. The opponent is still yet to be determined.
There will be no admission fee to watch the game, but due to an agreement with HHSAA, there will be a collection basket passed around to the spectators with the money going towards tournament expenses.
