LIHU‘E — Nick Tabura and Rashan Kuhaulua combined for seven innings and seven strikeouts while giving up one earned run and just two hits as they led the Kapa‘a High School Warriors to a 3-2 win over the Kaua‘i High
LIHU‘E — Nick Tabura and Rashan Kuhaulua combined for seven innings and seven strikeouts while giving up one earned run and just two hits as they led the Kapa‘a High School Warriors to a 3-2 win over the Kaua‘i High School Red Raiders Wednesday at Vidinha Stadium.
Tabura and Kuhaulua have given up just six earned runs all season and have 47 strikeouts in 42 innings pitched.
Kapa‘a opened the second half of the season after going 3-3 in the first half. The Warriors’ defense faltered early on and a pair of errors allowed Kaua‘i to jump ahead 1-0 after the first inning.
The Warriors quickly responded in the top of the second inning, as Keoki Planas led off with a double. Justin Nagahisa then laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Planas to third, which led to a Grant Mitchell single to drive in the run.
Mitchell’s bat would play a huge role in the game as he finished 1 for 2 with two RBIs.
Statistically, the Warriors have had the best offense this season of all three teams in the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation, but it is still an area Head Coach Bryan Aiwohi would like to see improved. Wednesday, Kapa‘a finished with three runs on six hits and committed two errors.
The Warriors would get its final two runs in the top of the fourth inning. A Kuhaulua double, then Planas was hit by a pitch and a Nagahisa single led to a Mitchell sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead. Eventually an A.J. Cummings walk with the bases loaded from Kauai’s Tyler Manibog would allow the third run to come across the plate for Kapa‘a.
“There was that one inning where we gave up three free bags,” said Kaua‘i Head Coach Ryden Domingsel.
“When you give up free bags it sets you up for tough situations.”
Kapa‘a now will take its efforts to Saturday as they play host to the Waimea Menehune in an important doubleheader, where the Warriors can seize control of the standings or let the Menehune back in it after being swept by Kaua‘i on Saturday.
“There is no room for relaxation,” Aiwohi said. “It has to be balls out from here on out. I don’t know what happened last weekend, but I know Coach Rita, and he would not have taken those losses well and he will have Waimea ready.”
The Warriors are now 4-3 while Kaua‘i falls to 2-7. The Red Raiders will take on the Menehune on Wednesday at Vidinha Stadium.
“I told them we need to play loose,” Domingsel said. “We still control our own destiny, and if we win out, we win the round and that’s what we have to do one game at a time.”
• Rick Killeen, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or sports@thegardenisland.com.
