HANAPEPE — The Lihue Bronco all-stars coughed up five runs before getting its first out Monday at Hanapepe Kato field. Lihue bats were active from the second inning as the Lihue all-stars pushed nine runs on 11 hits in its
HANAPEPE — The Lihue Bronco all-stars coughed up five runs before getting its first out Monday at Hanapepe Kato field.
Lihue bats were active from the second inning as the Lihue all-stars pushed nine runs on 11 hits in its 9-6 edge over the West Kauai Bronco all-stars.
Following two innings of a pitcher’s duel between Lihue’s Micah Efhan and West Kauai’s Reyden Rull, West Kauai capitalized on a pair of Lihue errors, its only miscues in the game, to push two unearned runs across the plate.
Efhan had the inning in control, striking out the first two batters, but then, got shaky, walking Kawelo Huddy, followed by West Kauai lead-off hitter Jesse Cardnas singling to center.
Kaikela Aquino, who whacked the winning run in Friday’s West Kauai win, hit to second base, and coupled with Lihue miscues, Huddy and Cardenas scored for the 2-0 bulge, tagging Efhan for two hits.
Lihue all-stars answered in the top of the fourth, scoring its most productive frame with five runs on six hits.
Connor Garcia opened the frame on a single to centerfield. Shortstop Christian Manera singled to left to set the stage for catcher Skyler Sadora, who smacked a two-RBI single to center, scoring Garcia and Manera.
Kobe Viloria doubled, and following Tyler Oshima’s RBI single scoring Sadora, West Kauai went to the bullpen, pulling Rull in favor of Noah Bermudez, the winning pitcher from Friday.
The move generated the first two outs for West Kauai in the frame, the first coming on a fly to second base and the second, a strikeout.
Tyra Abreu cleared the bases on a 2-RBI single to centerfield, scoring Viloria and Oshima before the inning ended.
Lihue added two more runs in the fifth and sixth innings for the 9-2 lead, Garcia and Sadora crossing in the fifth and Efhan and Abreu scoring in the sixth.
But West Kauai would not roll over, pushing four runs on three hits in the bottom of the seventh.
Huddy walked to open the inning, sending Lihue coach Stanton Yoshimori to the mound and calling on Viloria to close.
Viloria, however, gave up a hit to Cardenas and walked Aquino to load the pads.
West Kauai first baseman Lacin Montemayor laced a 2-RBI double to center, scoring Huddy and Cardenas.
Mark Kali-Bagoisan marked his second hit of the game, a 2-RBI to right field to score Aquino and Montemayor before Viloria settled down, striking out two consecutive batters and letting the Lihue defense close the book on a putout.
Rull, in suffering the loss, gave up four runs on six hits while striking out one and walking none.
Bermudez finished with five runs allowed on five hits while striking out four and giving up one walk.
Efhan picked up the win, allowing five hits with five strikouts and walking five before Viloria took over.
Viloria finished with four runs allowed on three hits with two strikouts and no walks.
Cardenas had the hot bat for West Kauai, scoring twice and getting two hits. Aquino was held to a single and scored once, Bagoisan finished with two hits, and two RBI. Starlynn Ripley singled and Huddy scored twice.
Sadora and Garcia led the Lihue bats, each getting two hits and scoring twice. Sadora marked three RBI in his two hits. Abreu finished with two singles, scored once and marked two RBI. Efhan singled and scored once, Manera doubled and scored once, Viloria singled and doubled and scored once, Oshima singled and scored once with an RBI to round out the Lihue offense.
With the win, the Lihue Bronco all stars take the practice field in anticipation of the PONY Bronco Region tournament, which will be held June 28 to July 2 on the Big Island.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
