HANAPEPE — Timely hitting and good pitching yielded titles for the ‘Iolani Red Raiders and the Waimea Menehune, Saturday following three days of play at the Hanapepe Stadium. ‘Iolani came from behind to erase a 5-1 deficit against Punahou to
HANAPEPE — Timely hitting and good pitching yielded titles for the ‘Iolani Red Raiders and the Waimea Menehune, Saturday following three days of play at the Hanapepe Stadium.
‘Iolani came from behind to erase a 5-1 deficit against Punahou to lock up the Waimea High School Invitational Softball Tournament championship with a 7-5 edge over the Buffanblu.
Waimea jumped on the Kalani Falcons’ pitcher in the fourth inning to produce three runs en route to its 3-2 edge in the Division II championships, a new category added for this year’s tournament.
Waimea faced the Falcons during its opening game, Thursday, and came back for a 3-1 win.
In the title game, the two teams battled through three innings before Waimea coach Teddy Perreira changed the strategy for the Menehune hitters.
That change appeared to work as the Menehune piled up five hits with three runs crossing in the fourth against Falcon hurler Leisha Yamauchi, who gave up 10 hits on the day.
Menehune hitters jumped on Yamauchi’s first or second offering, barely giving Kalani an opportunity to regroup.
Waimea second baseman Krysta Kali opened with a single, calling on Jessica Tangalin to do the base running. Catcher Kawehi Ephan primed the pads with a double, landing Tangalin on third, and Ulu Matagiese, working the pitcher beyond the usual 1-2 pitches, beat out an infield single.
That set the stage for Tauina Tafiti, whose sister Shana was the recipient of national Division II honors this week. Tafiti’s single to right field pushed Tangalin and Ephan across the plate to break the 0-0 stalemate with no outs.
Fiare Moe followed and jumped on an RBI single, scoring Matagiese before the Falcons put out the next three batters.
Kalani responded in the top of the fifth with two runs before its third score attempt was cut down between home and third base on a miscalculated play. Janeice Taira beat out a throw from Kali to Tafiti to open the frame, but was taken out at second on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Haley Omiya.
Chelsea Yamamoto’s two-bagger moved Omiya to third, and with two outs, Rayme Awaya forced an error at third to score Omiya. Kristy Belshe came up with an RBI single to second, scoring Yamamoto, and Belshe was caught on the miscalculation off Kelli Muramaru’s fielder’s choice play.
Koerte, the Menehune’s No. 1 hurler, pitched the complete game for the win, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out one, giving up only one Falcon hit in the final two innings.
‘Iolani’s comeback came in the fifth inning when first baseman Alex Masaquel laced into a two-run homer pushing Kim Souza across the plate and pulling to a 5-3 deficit.
But Punahou’s starting pitcher, throwing a variety of movement balls and keeping ‘Iolani off balance, was hit squarely in the chest by an ‘Iolani hitter, the Buffanblu coaches replacing her in the sixth inning.
That set the stage for Souza who smacked a two-RBI single to left field, knotting the contest as Marisa Terayama and Mari Fujimoto crossed.
The next Red Raider had an RBI single to right field, and Masaquel scored the final run off a Punahou wild pitch, the contest ending with ‘Iolani pulling off a double play to close the books on its 7-5 win for the tournament title.
A total of 14 teams, including the three from Kaua‘i’s public high schools took part in the three-day tournament which was formerly held during the Thanksgiving weekend before the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association’s softball schedule change to the spring series.
The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation opens its softball season March 9 when Kaua‘i travels to the New Kapa‘a Town Park for a single game against the Warriors starting at 5:30 p.m.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
