Kalaheo Farmers and the Hanapepe Rivermen are undefeated in the Americans of Japanese Ancestry baseball league. Kalaheo came from behind to clinch a 10-6 win over the Lihu‘e Builders, Sunday for a 3-0 standing following three weekends of play. Hanapepe,
Kalaheo Farmers and the Hanapepe Rivermen are undefeated in the Americans of Japanese Ancestry baseball league.
Kalaheo came from behind to clinch a 10-6 win over the Lihu‘e Builders, Sunday for a 3-0 standing following three weekends of play.
Hanapepe, the defending Kaua‘i AJA Baseball League champions, held off a strong Waimea challenge, 9-7, to claim a 3-0 record alongside Kalaheo.
Both teams play on Sunday, Kalaheo taking on the Waimea Tsunami at 11 a.m. at Hanapepe Stadium, while Hanapepe tangles with the Makaweli Indians at Vidinha Stadium at 1 p.m., the tail end of a Sunday double-header.
Kapa‘a, picking up its first win, 7-5 against Makaweli last weekend, will open Sunday’s action by going against Lihu‘e starting at 10 a.m.
Following the leaders, Makaweli, Kapa‘a and Waimea are 1-2 with Lihu‘e rounding out the standings at 0-3.
Allen Mundon and Owen Koshigawa combined on the mound to share in the Kapa‘a win, the first it’s enjoyed in the league.
Kapa‘a’s Ikaika Pezario, getting third on a Micah Furtado double, scored on a Dustin Mundon squeeze to break a 4-4 deadlock in the seventh inning. Furtado followed with a steal of home for the 6-4 bulge.
Waylan Kupihea upped the lead in the eighth inning on an RBI double from Pezario for the 7-4 read which was answered by Makaweli in the ninth inning.
Klayford Nakaahiki and Sean Jardin opened the frame with singles, followed by Kalen Iwai smacking deep to right field where Kapa‘a fielder Keoni Nakano grabbed the fly, advancing Nakaahiki to third.
A Jason Nakata sacrifice crossed Nakaahiki before Koishigawa closed the books when Jason Miyazki flied out.
Waimea came alive in the seventh inning with six runs, but fell short against the defending champions who combined the pitching of Kevin Suga, Chris Kaiakapu and Steve Werner to preserve its record.
Liko Pereira, earlier going the distance to pick up Waimea’s lone win on the season, combined with Brenden Hew in suffering the loss.
Game time Sunday is 10 a.m. at Vidinha and 11 a.m. at the Hanapepe Stadium.
