WAIMEA — Waimea pitcher Deannalynn Tafiti had a one-hitter going until the sixth inning Wednesday against Kapa‘a High School at the Waimea Canyon Park. But Kapa‘a’s Analeigha Carvalho-Toloai shook the mound, cranking into a triple with two away. She was
WAIMEA — Waimea pitcher Deannalynn Tafiti had a one-hitter going until the sixth inning Wednesday against Kapa‘a High School at the Waimea Canyon Park.
But Kapa‘a’s Analeigha Carvalho-Toloai shook the mound, cranking into a triple with two away. She was left stranded when the next batter flied out to first base and Waimea hung on for the 5-1 win before the strong home crowd.
Kapa‘a’s third hit came from Kelsie Gorospe-Keliipuleole, a single to lead off the seventh inning, but Tafiti shut down the next three batters, including back-to-back strikeouts.
Tafiti picked up the win, going six innings, allowing three hits while striking out four Warrior batters, walking one and hitting one batter.
Kapa‘a’s Kalia Kaui answered strong on the mound, allowing four hits while whiffing six Waimea batters, including the final batter in the sixth frame, and walking two.
Kapa‘a, after being victimized twice by Kaua‘i High School during its home opener Saturday, came back strong, Aliyah Cummings, the Warriors’ lead-off batter, getting a single and advancing through the bases on a Menehune miscue.
Waimea, enjoying an explosive opening inning against Kaua‘i during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation season opener, was abnormally quiet.
With two away in the first inning, Waimea’s Gaylan “Ulu” Matagiese walked and stole second and third bases, but was left stranded when the third batter struck out, putting Waimea, the defending state Division II champions, in the unusual position of chasing a run.
Padasdao-Oyamot opened the second inning on a double with one away followed by Bryana Resquer-Yorkman getting first on a fielder’s choice, the runners scoring on Sierra Santiago’s RBI single with two outs.
Waimea added two more runs on one hit in the fourth and capped the win with a run in the fifth when Alyssa Miyamoto, getting first on an error, scored on Padasdao-Oyamot’s second hit of the game.
Padasdao-Oyamoto topped the Waimea hitting with a double and a single, scoring twice and getting an RBI.
Lead-off hitter Santiago finished with three RBIs on two singles and Kiani Kamakea marked an RBI.
The win gives Waimea a 2-0 record while Kapa‘a falls to 0-3, setting the stage for Saturday’s double-header when Waimea will attempt to improve its record against Kaua‘i (1-2).
First pitch at the Waimea Canyon Park goes at 10 a.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
