HANAPEPE — Nick Tabura and Rashaan “Turtle” Kuhaulua each got their first starts on the mound this season and each came away with a win. Kapaa High School’s baseball team swept Saturday’s doubleheader against Waimea at Hanapepe Stadium. The Warriors
HANAPEPE — Nick Tabura and Rashaan “Turtle” Kuhaulua each got their first starts on the mound this season and each came away with a win.
Kapaa High School’s baseball team swept Saturday’s doubleheader against Waimea at Hanapepe Stadium. The Warriors won the first game 9-1 and the second 5-1.
“Both (Tabura and Kuhaulua) did a hell of a job today,” said Kapaa head coach Bryan Aiwohi. “Our offense also helped. When you can put runs on the board like that, you take pressure off of the pitcher.
“We’re pretty happy with the results, but we’re not satisfied yet … Kauai High is tough and Waimea is going to rebound. We can’t take nothing for granted and we’re not going to let up,” the Warriors coach added.
Tabura and Kuhaulua both pitched complete games. Tabura allowed one hit, one unearned run and threw 11 strikeouts. Kuhaulua allowed two hits, one unearned run and threw six strikeouts.
“We feel good. We like winning,” Tabura said. “We now need to get serious because we already lost the first round. We got to come back and win the second. We want to go to state.”
In the first game, Kapaa (3-5, 2-0 in second round) scored four runs in the first two innings to get the early lead. The runs then continued to pour in.
Tabura had a no-hitter going until Waimea first baseman Bryton Lumabao hit a single in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Kapaa junior catcher Chaz Pacleb had two RBIs, scored two runs and was a home run shy of completing the cycle.
Warriors right fielder Grant Michell hit three singles in three at-bats.
In the second game, Kapaa scored three runs to once again take the early lead en route to its second victory.
Junior center fielder Nakoa Ibaan hit three singles and an RBI for Kapaa.
“We did bunt a lot. We tried to put runners in motion,” Aiwohi said. “We’ve been working on that. If the long game is not working, then got to go to the short game and make it happen.”
Waimea head coach Larry Ephan said committing errors and not producing hits is why his team lost.
“Our pitchers did well … (but we) committed six errors. Tough to win any kind of ball game making that kind of errors,” the Menehune coach said. “Once it starts going bad, it just keeps on spiraling.
“We got to stick together. Can’t be blaming anyone. Just got to work hard hopefully we’ll step up and rise to the occasion,” Ephan added.
Kapaa will host Kauai on Wednesday. The game will start at 3:30 p.m.
Waimea (3-5, 0-2 in second round) will play a doubleheader against Kauai on Saturday at Vidinha Stadium. The first game will start at 10 a.m.
