WAIMEA — The Kauai High School bats were still hot from Wednesday night’s 15-0 win over Kapaa. Led by a homerun from Kyra Hirokane in Game 2, Kauai High School combined its pitching by Kailee Nii with hits from its
WAIMEA — The Kauai High School bats were still hot from Wednesday night’s 15-0 win over Kapaa.
Led by a homerun from Kyra Hirokane in Game 2, Kauai High School combined its pitching by Kailee Nii with hits from its roster in its double-header win, 20-5 and 8-0, over Waimea High School Saturday at the Waimea Canyon Park.
Hirokane’s grand slam came in the fifth inning of Game 2 when she conked the ball to right-centerfield to bring home Tia Takasaki (walking first), Aleigha “Red” Scovel (bunt single), and Tammie Yoshimori (hit by pitch) for a 5-0 bulge.
Following Hirokane, Taira Abreu finished with a double and single toward the Raiders’ 8-hit game and marked an RBI, scoring once after getting aboard on a Waimea error in the sixth inning when Kauai marked three more runs.
Nii singled and pushed a run home. Caley Caires was limited to a bunt single and scored once, Takasaki singled and scored twice, Scovel was limited to a bunt single and scored once with an RBI on a sacrifice fly, Yoshimori singled and scored once, Kahela Nishikawa-Chandler marked two RBI on a pair of sac flies to round out the Kauai numbers.
Nii gave up no runs and held Waimea to just three hits, a single by Saecha Ann Padasdao-Oyamot in the first inning, and two singles from Caysha Goias-Soares in the second inning, and fourth frames. She walked four and had no strike-outs in Game 2.
Earlier in Game 1, Nii held Waimea to just two hits with one walk and three strike-outs through three innings before faltering.
Starlynn Ripley got first on a Kauai error with one out in the fourth. Tiana Rita and Cheyla Goias-Soares got aboard on walks, but not before Ripley crossed the plate on a passed ball before Nii closed the door on back-to-back fly balls.
Things did not get better in the fifth inning as Malisha Kali-Bagaoisan walked followed by Alyssa Miyamoto singling, her second of the game. Kacie’Lin Hesapene got aboard on another Raider miscue, scoring Kali-Bagaoisan and Miyamoto.
With one away, Ripley singled. Leiko Yamauchi’s sac fly pushed Hesapene home and Cheyla Goias-Soares singled to drive Ripley home for the Menehune accounting.
On the other side of the field, Kauai waylaid spectators’ concern about placid softball by exploding for 15 runs on 11 hits in the second inning, capitalizing on Waimea starter Saecha Ann Pasdadao-Oyamot.
Scovel, Yoshimori and Nishikawa-Chandler led the second inning offensive fireworks with doubles for three RBI.
Tia Takasaki singled twice in the inning, driving in four RBI. Nishikawa-Chandler singled and doubled for three RBI.
Overall, Kauai finished with 20 runs on 16 hits led by Nishikawa-Chandler who ended with two doubles, a single and five RBI. Takasaki finished the day with three singles and five RBI. Scovel doubled and singled with five RBI to round out the batting leaders.
Shelbee Tavares took over the mound from the third inning and continued for two frames in Game 1 and went the distance in Game 2.
With the wins, Kauai improves to 3-0 on the season while Waimea, 0-2, looks to break into the winner’s circle when it visits Kapaa, 0-1, Wednesday at the Kapaa High School softball facility. Due to the lack of lights on the field, the first pitch goes off at 3:30 p.m.
Kauai enjoys a bye until Saturday when it makes the trip to the Kapaa facility for a double-header starting at 10 a.m.
