After the previous weeks rainouts, Kauai Senior Softball got back on track with games at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapaa and the Softball Gardens at Hanapepe Stadium.
After four games in five weeks, three teams are tied atop the standings. The two-time defending champion Keonimana Gents have cruised through their first four victories.The Rookies have been impressive with an explosive offense, and the Ohana Rebels are keeping pace. Each team is 4-0.
Barteks suffered their first loss of the season and is tied with Ohana at 3-1.
The East Kauai Legends hosted four games at the diamond at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex with a capacity crowd on-hand. In the opener, the Legends tangled with the Islanders. The Legends put five runs on the scoreboard in the full seven-inning game but the Islanders came out on top with a 13-5 win. The Islanders have been close in all of their games and finally got the upper hand, notching their first win for the Islanders this season.
The Hanamaulu Hillsiders got all over Kuku’s Aces in a wild contest in game two. Both teams showed their run-scoring experience with the Hillsiders coming out on top, 17-11.
The Gents closed out the day with a doubleheader sweep. They were slated to face the Aloha Kia Lihue A’s in the regular schedule, then they made up the rained out game against Kawaihau from the previous week. Keonimana pounded out a 19-7 convincing win. The A’s could not match the run scoring machine on their home turf.
After the rain storm of the previous week, the Gents took on Kawaihau in the first of six make-up games soon to be scheduled. Keonimana continued to roll over their opposition and beat Kawaihau, 14-7. The back-to-back victories gave the Gents four wins early in the season to keep them on top of the league standings.
The triple-header at Hanapepe Stadium was played under brilliant blue skies with an overflowed crowd on an impeccable renovated field. In a colossal matchup between undefeated teams, Barteks challenged the Rookies. The game was close in the first three innings with the Rookies taking a slight lead. Once the Rookies started their hit parade and the help from some monstrous home runs, they put some distance between themselves and their opponents. The seventh inning for the Rookies proved to be too much as they put a 20-5 shellacking on the host team.
One of the most unheard of incidents broke out in game number two — a pitcher’s duel between West Kauai and the Ohana Rebels. Myles Yoshida and Bambi Santos tossed gems in a tight contest. The Rebels right-hander got the help of a pair of two-run home runs to pick up the 8-4 win.
The Rebels kept pace with the Rookies and the Gents in the league race.
The day wrapped up with Da Kruzers coming across the island to take on Ohana. Da Kruzers continued to show improvement on the diamond and stayed with the powerhouse Ohana early on. In the end the solid hitting of the Ohana line-up and a show-stopping home run barrage by Tony Rapozo, including a grand slam, put Ohana out in front for a 15-3 win. Ohana remains one game back of the league leaders.
Results
w At Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex, Kapaa: Islanders 13, East Kauai Legends 5; Hanamaulu Hillsiders 17, Kuku’s Aces 11; Keonimana Gents 19, Aloha Kia Lihue A’s 7; Keonimana Gents 14, Kawaihau 7
w At Hanapepe Stadium: Rookies 20, Barteks 5; Ohana Rebels 8, West Kauai 4; Ohana 15, Da Kruzers 3
