KAPAA — Lady Warrior Seijia Makanani allowed just one Raider hit as Kapaa took a 10-0 win Wednesday during the Kauai Interscholastic Federation softball game contested before a festive audience at the Kapaa High School field.
Makanani, rebounding from a short relief stint during Kapaa’s loss to the Menehune last week, went the distance in the contest shortened by the 10-run ruling in the fifth frame. The underclassman pitcher struck out three.
Kapaa scored three runs in the first, fourth and fifth frames.
Kapaa capitalized on the young Raider mound, pushing its first run home on a walk to Shanayah “Ini” Marshall to score Kaia Davis-Caberto, also walking first, to the thrill of the visiting Diamonds’ softball teams that filled one section of the bleachers in the first inning.
During the inning, Kauai underclassman pitcher Hayley Ramos issued three walks and hit a batter before Kapaa’s Tiani Kaui smacked a two-run double to right-centerfield, scoring Savannah Simons and Marshall.
Haylee Garcia-Raquel, a Warriors senior usually relegated to dugout duty, topped the lumberyard in the final frame when she went to pinch hit for Taelyn Dakamas, cranking into an RBI triple to score Tira Ann Kaui, pinch running for senior Kendra Kupihea who singled.
Raquel went on to score on an RBI single from lead-off hitter Davis-Caberto.
“We knew she was due for a big hit,” Takasaki told Kapaa athletic director Greg Gonsalves. “She came through.”
Other Warrior hitting leaders included Davis-Caberto who scored three times while whacking a double and a pair of singles with one run batted in. Tiana Kaui marked two runs driven in while conking a double and a pair of singles. Simons finished with two singles, and Makanani marked an RBI on a single.
Kauai’s hit came in the second inning when catcher Jadyn-Minnie Naka‘ahiki singled. Courtesy runner Meleana Manintin was caught in a double play to end the threat.
“This is really tough,” Takasaki said. “We still need to play two more games — and win. We’re still a young team with a lot of inexperienced players so we just have to take it one day at a time.”
The Kapaa High School Lady Warriors face a big pair of games Saturday when they travel to the Waimea Canyon Park to face the Menehune in a doubleheader at Waimea’s Senior Day.
Kapaa needs to take two games for the second round and the KIF title. Waimea needs one win to capture the second round and force a playoff game for the title.
“I haven’t told the girls yet,” said Kapaa coach Francis Takasaki. “Let them enjoy Senior Day. We go back to practice right after this to because playing Waimea is always tough.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
