LIHU‘E — Waimea High, the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation first round title holder, appears to have wrapped up the KIF title race following its dual wins over Kaua‘i High Saturday at the Cook Field adjacent to the Clem Gomes Gym on the Waimea campus.
According to stats posted to Scoring Live, the 3-0 and 7-2 victories over the Red Raiders puts the Menehune at 9-1-0 with two more games remaining on its schedule. Kaua‘i High sits at 7-4-0 and in a distant second place.
Earlier in games contested Friday due to Kapa‘a High School having its prom over the weekend, the Warriors took both ends of its double-header against Island School, 11-0 in the opener and 8-6 in the nightcap.
Kapa‘a pushed seven runs across in the sixth inning to end the Friday opener on the 10-run ruling. Long-ball hitter Chysen Manintin led Kapa‘a with two hits, including a triple, and drove in three Warrior runs. Kelcie Kimura-Masada also posted two hits, including a double with an RBI. Kian Rapozo singled and had two RBI.
Bob Manintin picked up the win on the hill by limiting Island School to just three hits while striking out seven Voyager batters.
Voyager batters making contact included Blake Braun with a double, and Cody Manibog and Cash McCluskey.
Trailing 7-2 going into the home half of the fifth inning in the nightcap, Island School pushed three runs across to come up short against the Warriors. Both teams scored a run each in the seventh inning for the 8-6 final.
Kapa‘a finished with eight hits for its eight runs, led by a Chysen Manintin home run with three runs scoring. Shayden Yamaguchi and Kimura-Masada each doubled, with Kimura-Masada marking an RBI. Keoki Ibaan posted two hits with an RBI to lead the top Warrior bats.
Braun had the top bat for the Voyagers with two hits and an RBI.
During the Saturday opener, Waimea pushed its two runs in the sixth inning for the 3-0 win that came on seven hits, led by Tresten Shigematsu driving in one run on an RBI double. Zyden Vea marked two hits including a double, and Haweo Akeo marked two hits while scoring once.
Menehune pitcher Anson Lazaro picked up the win by limiting Kaua‘i High batters to just four hits while striking out four.
Brayden Itamura had the hot bat for Kaua‘i High with two hits. Wailele Kane-Yates and Darwin Bukoski also marked hits.
In the nightcap, Waimea opened strong with four runs crossing, and added another trio of crossings in the fifth frame. Kaua‘i High kept the game going with its pair of runs crossing in the third inning.
The Menehune notched 10 hits for its seven runs, led by Haweo Akeo getting a hit and a run scored. Anson Lazaro had no hits but scored twice, and Tyrus Haumea also had a run batted in.
Itamura scored once for Kaua‘i High, and had a runner score on his one hit, a triple, to lead the effort that came on four hits for its two runs. Austin Renaud scored one run, and finished with a hit. Kane-Yates had a hit and pushed a runner home, and Kaomea Inouye had the other Red Raider hit.
Shigematsu picked up the win on the mound by limiting Kaua‘i High to four hits for its two runs while striking out four Red Raider hitters and walking three.
Itamura suffered the loss in just one-third of an inning, allowing four runs on five hits.
The KIF closes its baseball season Saturday when Island School travels to the Cook Field for a double-header against Waimea, and Kapa‘a comes to Vidinha Stadium in Lihu‘e for a double-header against Kaua‘i High. The first pitch at Cook Field is at 10 a.m., followed by the second game starting following a 30-minute break at the conclusion of the opening game.
Kaua‘i High throws the first pitch at 3 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium, with the second game starting following a 30-minute break at the end of the afternoon contest.
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
