HANAPEPE — West Kauai’s Kaikela Aquino’s favorite target was right field Friday at the Hanapepe Kato field. The petite shortstop found right field in his perfect 3 for 3 appearance in the batter’s box, and in all three appearances, scored
HANAPEPE — West Kauai’s Kaikela Aquino’s favorite target was right field Friday at the Hanapepe Kato field.
The petite shortstop found right field in his perfect 3 for 3 appearance in the batter’s box, and in all three appearances, scored to lead the West Kauai Protect Our Nation’s Youth Bronco division all-stars to a 7-6 win before an enthusiastic audience.
After being stung by an 11-1 loss in the Tuesday opener, West Kauai’s win forces a Monday game for the right to advance to the PONY Bronco Regional Tournament on the Big Island, June 28 through July 2.
The best-of-three series finale will take place at the Hanapepe Kato field with the first pitch going at 4 p.m.
West Kauai jumped all over Lihue’s starting pitcher Christian Manera, conking four of its game-total eight hits in the first inning and scoring four runs forcing a pitching change early as Kobe Viloria, victorious Tuesday, took over mound chores.
West Kauai’s Jesse Cardenas singled to open followed by Aquino singling, and coupled with an error, had runners in scoring postion for Lacin Montemayor, who came up with an RBI single, scoring Cardenas.
A Noah Bermudez putout, second to first, pushed Aquino home before Starlynn Ripley scored Montemayor with two away. Kaikoa Perreira-Alquiza pushed Riply home on an RBI single to center before the inning ended leaving Perreira-Alquiza stranded.
Lihue, stymied in the first inning when it came up with no scores on two hits against West Kauai pitcher Noah Bermudez, charged through the second inning for three runs on two hits, Connor Garcia getting aboard on a bang to right field.
Kallen Kobayashi walked, and on a putout of Kamden Nii, Garcia was able to score.
Tyra Abreu walked and a 2-RBI single from Micah Efhan pushed Kobayashi and Abreu across the plate before the threat ended with Efhan being eliminated on a pickoff.
Lihue battled through most of the game, coughing up a run in the fifth before knotting the contest in the seventh when two runs scored on two hits.
With one away, Abreu walked for the third time, settling at third base on an Efhan single and scoring on an RBI play by Tyler Oshima, who got the second out on a putout.
Manera, struggling through most of the game, blossomed by scoring Efhan, but withered on the base path, getting caught between first and second with the score tied, 6-6 before the trap.
West Kauai answered the call, taking Viloria’s second pitch and whacking out to rightfield where confusion moved the West Kauai shortstop through the bases to force the Monday showdown.
Aquino was a perfect 3-for-3 to lead the West Kauai bats, followed by Ripley with two hits an RBI and scoring once. Cardenas had a hit and scored twice, Bermudez had an RBI, Perreira-Alquiza had a single and an RBI.
Efhan finished with three hits and scored once, Oshima had a double, Manera singled and had an RBI, Garcia finished with two hits and scored once, Kobayashi scored once, and Abreu scored three times for Lihue.
Bermudez picked up the win on the hill, allowing seven hits while striking out five and walking five.
Manera took the loss with four runs allowed on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts.
Vilora stepped in allowing three runs on three hits with three strikeouts and no walks.
The first pitch in the final PONY Bronco playoff is at 4 p.m. at the Hanapepe Kato field.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
