HANAPEPE — Kauai High School’s baseball team won the final game of the regular season. The Red Raiders defeated Waimea 6-3 on Wednesday at Hanapepe Stadium. “We hit really well up and down the lineup today,” said Kauai head coach
HANAPEPE — Kauai High School’s baseball team won the final game of the regular season.
The Red Raiders defeated Waimea 6-3 on Wednesday at Hanapepe Stadium.
“We hit really well up and down the lineup today,” said Kauai head coach Greg Killeen. “Glad to see that. We needed to get our bats going a little bit more.
“We worked on some things we needed to do. All of our pitchers are fresh, so we used them very sparingly today. So, they’re all ready to go on Saturday. Everybody is available,” he added.
Senior outfielder Kanoa Iwasaki hit a two-run single during the top of the fourth inning to give the Red Raiders an early lead.
Kauai (9-3 regular season, 4-2 in second round) scored four more runs during the sixth inning.
“Our coach told us to look for this one pitch … I saw it coming and I was right on time to hit that single,” Iwasaki said. “Our hitting was alright. Could have done better, but we came away with the win.”
Waimea (3-9 regular season, 0-6 in second round) scored a run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth.
“It was a very humbling season for us. Hats off to both Kauai High School and Kapaa,” said Waimea head coach Larry Ephan. “For us, it’s back to the drawing board and look forward to next year.”
Eight Menehune seniors played their final game.
“As seniors, we’ll just get ready for our lives,” said Waimea senior second baseman Brock Tacata. “(I’ll remember) all my boys … from freshman year, played with most of them. I’ll remember the time we had.”
Tacata hit a single and scored a run in the game.
The Red Raiders will play the Warriors for the Kauai Interscholastic Federation championship. The game will start 1 p.m. Saturday at Kapaa High School.
“That’s our goal right there. It all boils down to Saturday’s game now,” Killeen said. “It’s winner take all. So, we’re going to prepare ourselves for the next two days, like we’ve been doing all week, and get ready to go.”
