Hanapepe—David Hanashiro’s first-pitch one-out solo shot over the center field fence in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the never-say-die Waimea Menehunes to a dramatic 6-5 victory over the league-leading Kapa’a Warriors (8-3 overall, 3-2 in second round play)
Hanapepe—David Hanashiro’s first-pitch one-out solo shot over the center field
fence in the bottom of the ninth inning lifted the never-say-die Waimea
Menehunes to a dramatic 6-5 victory over the league-leading Kapa’a Warriors
(8-3 overall, 3-2 in second round play) Wednesday afternoon.
The Warriors
got off to their customary hot start by scoring their initial runs after two
outs were recorded in the first inning. Back-to-back doubles off Waimea starter
Ashley Vidinha by Micah Furtado and Kaleo Lopez resulted in a 1-0 score. A wild
pitch and subsequent fielding error allowed Lopez to scamper home with Kapa’a’s
second run.
Rocky Aviguetero led off the bottom half with a walk and Kanea
Kinimaka-Aranio was unintentionally hit with a 1-2 delivery.
William Rita
singled to fill the bases and Hanashiro’s sharp single to left brought in
Aviguetero from third to cut the lead to a run. Vidinha doubled over left
fielder Sean Tamura to drive in Aranio and Rita and give the Menehunes a 3-2
advantage.
Kapa’a hurler Allen Mundon was visited by Warrior Pitching Coach
Dennis Bonilla and the young right-hander settled down to retire the next three
Menehunes and leave the bags full.
The Warriors tied the contest in the
top of the second as Branden Bonilla’s one-out ground ball was discarded. After
a fly out, Bonilla moved to second on a passed ball and Ikaika Pezario was
intentionally walked. Justin Matsukawa drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases
and prompt a visit to the mound by Waimea Head Coach Kui Souza.
Furtado,
batting .567 for the season, patiently worked the count full and took ball four
to force in Bonilla and tie the game.
Vidinha got out of the jam by
inducing an inning-ending fly out to center.
Kapa’a took the lead again
with two outs in the third as Kalani Miyashiro was plunked and promptly stole
second base.
Bonilla walked to put two on and a passed ball moved the
runners to scoring positions. Robert Merkel’s grounder was thrown low across
the diamond and got by a stretching B.J. Mariano-Hardy at first to score
Miyashiro and Bonilla for a 5-3 lead.
The Menehunes tied the contest as
Rita was hit to start the home half of the fifth, but Mundon fielded
Hanashiro’s bunt and wheeled to force the lead runner at second.
Vidinha
worked the count full and drilled a 2-run lined-shot just inside and over the
325′ sign at the left field foul pole to clear the bags.
Matsukawa
relieved Mundon on the hill in the bottom of the sixth and held the Menehunes
scoreless as the contest went into extra innings.
The Warriors loaded the
bases with two outs in the eighth on two walks and a hit batter but couldn’t
capitalize as Vidinha got a fly out to end the threat.
Waimea also had an
opportunity to end the contest after eight innings of play as a two-out
Mariano-Hardy single was followed by walks to Riley Shirai and Aviguetero to
load the bags.
Kinimaka-Aranio skied a twisting pop to second baseman
Furtado in short right field to send the game into the ninth inning.
Matsukawa swatted a tailing stand-up double down the right field line. An
intentional walk put Furtado on and a Lopez bunt loaded the bases.
Vidinha
struck out the next Kapa’a batter for the inning’s first out. Menehune freshman
Clarence Aki, playing at third base, initiated the defensive play of the game
as he fielded Tamura’s ground-smash and threw home. Waimea catcher Vance
Matsumoto (a 7th-inning replacement) smothered the tricky one-hopper and
stepped on the plate to force Matsukawa coming home.
Vidinha struck out the
next Kapa’a batter to end the inning and set up the game-winning dramatics to
come.
Matsukawa induced a grounder back to the mound for Waimea’s first
out.
Hanashiro strode to the plate.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Warrior center fielder Pezario ran out of room as Hanashiro’s lofted shot
cleared the Hanapepe Ball Park fence by ten feet to start a wild celebration
outside of the home dugout.
Vidinha led all Menehune batters offensively
(double, home run, 4 RBI’s) while teammate Hanashiro also paired hits (single,
home run, HBP, 2 RBI’s).
Lopez had 2 hits to lead the Warriors (double,
single, RBI) and Furtado and Matsukawa additionally contributed doubles.
Vidinha pitched 9 innings in picking up his first victory of the season
and gave up 5 runs (1 earned) on 5 hits, 7 walks, and 3 HBP (with 6
strikeouts).
The Menehunes scored their 6 runs on 10 hits, 4 walks and 2
HBP. Warrior hurlers struck out 3 Waimea batters.
Warrior defenders played
error-free baseball while the Menehunes committed 3 miscues in the contest.
With the victory, the Menehunes improve to 2-8 overall (1-3 in the second
round) and still have a mathematical chance of vying for the overall league
crown. In their way stands an 11 a.m. Saturday, April 29 double-header against
the Kaua’i Red Raiders (5-4, 2-1) at Vidinha Stadium.
Kapa`a
2 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 5
Waimea 3 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 – 6
PB-
Ruiz 2. E- Aranio 2, Aki. LOB- Kapa’a 11, Waimea 9. 2B- Furtado, Lopez,
Matsukawa, Vidinha. HR- Vidinha, Hanashiro. HBP- Miyashiro, Furtado, Merkel,
Aranio, Rita. SB- Miyashiro, Furtado. CS- Mundon, Aviguetero. S-
Tamura.
Pitching
Kapa’a IP H R ER BB
SO
Mundon 5-2/3 8 5 5 2 2
Matsukawa
(L)
2-2/3 2 1 1 2 1
Waimea
Vidinha (W 9 5 5 1 7 6
