LIHUE — Kauai second baseman Kiki Pagador smacked a 3-run-inside-the-park home run to lead the Red Raiders to an 8-5 win over Kapaa on Wednesday evening at Isenberg Park in Lihue. “We are down to just nine girls,” said Scott
LIHUE — Kauai second baseman Kiki Pagador smacked a 3-run-inside-the-park home run to lead the Red Raiders to an 8-5 win over Kapaa on Wednesday evening at Isenberg Park in Lihue.
“We are down to just nine girls,” said Scott Kaui, Kapaa coach. “We had injuries on Monday, and luckily one was cleared for play just yesterday. It was scary, although I think we could have played with eight players if we had to. Our center fielder and left fielders were playing those positions for the first time and both had nice catches. Again, this is a case of almost, but …”
Pagador’s home run led the Kauai bats who piled up eight hits and eight runs. She also added a single in the fifth inning, scoring Shanie Quereto, who got aboard on a Warrior error.
Tia Takasaki, the Raider left fielder, knocked in two runs on a double and single. Courtesy runner Railee Layosa, running for pitcher Kailee Nii, and Kahea Nishikawa-Chandler, running for catcher Tammie Yoshimori, crossed in the third inning on Takasaki’s RBI single.
Nii, Yoshiori, and center fielder Caley Caires each singled to round out the Kauai hitting.
“We still have a lot of things to work on,” said Kauai coach Elena Kealoha. “But that’s what practices are for. Kapaa is a small team, and even with just nine girls, they played well. They did a good job of working with what they had.”
Shaniece Banasihan led Kapaa in hitting with a triple and a single with two runs batted in as the Warrior wahine picked up its five runs on seven hits.
Kapaa pitcher Leipua Kaui also hit a triple and a single with a run batted in.
Sabrina Telles-Kelekoma conked two singles with a run batted in the third inning when Aliyah Cummings, who reached first on a throwing error, scored from second on the bang.
Jordan Lopez, who got a single in the second inning, got her RBI during the fifth inning when she pushed Banasihan home on a sacrifice fly to left-center field for the first out of the inning.
Nii picked up the win, going the distance with five runs on seven hits. She also had two strike outs and didn’t allow a walk.
Kaui allowed the eight runs on eight hits while hitting one batter. She also had one strike out and two walks.
Kapaa, following two losses in the second round, next faces Waimea in a doubleheader Saturday at the Waimea Canyon Park starting at 10 a.m.
“We’re not going to lay down,” Kaui said. “If we can pull off a sweep, it’ll be a new game in the second round. I liked the way our girls kept fighting and never gave up. It’s going to be interesting Saturday.”
Kauai enjoys a bye until Wednesday when they host Waimea in its final home stand for the 2015 Kauai Interscholastic Federation softball season.
“Like I said, we still have a lot of things to work on,” Kealoha said. “We have practices to clean things up.”
