Fireworks lit up the skies over the new Kapa‘a High School softball field as Waimea closed its Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation softball season with a 29-14 win Wednesday over the host Warriors in a five-inning affair due to the 10-run ruling.
Fireworks lit up the skies over the new Kapa‘a High School softball field as Waimea closed its Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation softball season with a 29-14 win Wednesday over the host Warriors in a five-inning affair due to the 10-run ruling.
The explosive Menehune notched one of its highest season scores at 29 runs on 17 hits, while the Warriors celebrated Senior Night at the park with one of its most productive runs at 17 runs coming on six hits.
In her tenure on the mound, Kapa‘a’s Kalia Kaui, going the distance in the loss, held the Menehune power hitters of Taylor “Kawehi” Ephan to just two singles (no home runs!) with two runs batted in and Krysta Kali to just one double in six at-bats and one run batted in, Ephan scoring four times and Kali crossing twice.
Menehune centerfielder Ulu Matagiese, taking a turn on the mound when she relieved starter Sienna Santiago in the third inning, marked a pair of doubles and a pair of singles with four runs batted in during her six at-bats to lead the Waimea lumberyard.
Bailey San Agustin-Nordmeier had the longest blast with a triple with three RBI before being relieved by Jaelyn R-J in the second inning, R-J going on with two singles and two RBI.
Waimea powered into 16 runs in the second inning, eight after one out and adding another seven runs with two outs before Kapa‘a could close the door. That inning saw the Menehune mark eight hits, including a two-RBI triple from San Agustin-Nordmeier, one Kapa‘a error, five batters walking with one run scoring, and having two batters hit, each one marking an RBI.
Facing a 21-2 deficit after two-and-a-half innings, Kapa‘a erupted for nine runs on no hits, one Waimea error and eight walks and two batters hit, the third inning being when Matagiese relieved Santiago on the mound.
Kapa‘a’s big bats came from Eryka Keoho who doubled in the fourth inning, scored twice with one run driven in on a Menehune miscue in the third inning.
Ta’ashi Napoleon walked three times and whacked into an RBI double in the fourth inning, scoring once in the third inning.
Aliyah Cummings scored three times, marked two singles and had two runs driven in while Ariel Cummings, also scoring three times, got credit for two RBIs on no hits, getting aboard once on a fielder’s choice and walking twice.
Kaui, who went the distance on the mound for Kapa‘a, scored three times, walking twice and whacking an RBI single to left field to finish with two RBIs in four at-bats to round out the Kapa‘a performance.
Kapa‘a next travels to Isenberg Field Saturday to close out the regular KIF softball season against Kaua‘i High School in a double-header, with the first pitch going at 10 a.m.
Kaua‘i team mother Leah Scovel said there will be a food booth.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
