WAIMEA — A twinbill sweep Saturday gave the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation baseball crown to the Waimea High baseball team during its meeting with the Island School Voyagers at Cook Field adjacent to the school’s campus.
The Menehune wrapped the title with wins of 11-1 and 10-1 during the team’s Senior Day at the park.
“We are headed to the Wally Yonamine Foundation Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Baseball Division II tournament that will contest at the Francis Wong Stadium in Hilo,” said a team supporter in an email. “We need to raise funds for the trip. We have established a Spot Fund website for donations at https://www.spotfund.com/story/125e205e-477c-40af-87b3-34179132c657.”
According to the link, the team is looking at a goal of $13,500.
“With such a short season and turnaround, we are looking for any support we can get,” the Spot Fund link states. “Please support our 18 team members and seven coaches to get to the Division 2 state tournament.”
During the day’s opening game, Waimea busted loose for six runs in the sixth inning to close the contest, 11-0 on the 10-run rule. Menehune pitcher Anson Lazaro allowed just one Voyager hit through four innings while striking out five Island School batters and walking just one.
Robin Correa III closed for the Menehune, allowing no hits and striking out two in two innings of work.
Waimea hurler Treston Shigematsu picked up the Menehune’s second win, 10-1 on the mound, with just two hits allowed, one making it through for the Voyager score. He worked three innings, striking out three and walking two. He got help from Noah Delanoza, who closed with two innings of work, allowing no hits, striking out another three Voyager hitters and walking two.
Island School’s sole score came in the first inning when AJ Galiza scored on a Blake Braun RBI.
Over at Vidinha Stadium in Lihu‘e, host Kaua‘i High split its series against Kapa‘a, taking the first contest 15-1 before dropping the nightcap 6-4.
Austin Renaud had the hot bat for the Raiders in the opener that was called in the fifth inning on the 10-run rule behind 13 hits. Renaud scored twice on three hits, including a triple, with three runs batted in.
Evan Batalucco, working two innings, got the nod for the Raiders win, with one run allowed on three hits while striking out two and walking none. Tayden Beadle and Khyler Cabebe helped Batalucco’s cause, Beadle allowing one hit and striking out two and Cabebe closing with three strikeouts.
Kapa‘a’s Keoki Ibaan got aboard on a double and scored on a play by Kelcie Kimura-Masada. Kian Rapozo topped the Warriors’ hitting with two of the team’s four hits in the outing.
During the nightcap, Kapa‘a came from a 4-0 deficit in the third inning to push six runs over the remaining four frames for the 6-4 edge that came on six hits.
Kimura-Masada notched three of the six hits, including a pair of doubles, to lead the comeback. He also scored once and had two RBI.
Ibaan went the distance on the mound, allowing four runs on four hits. He finished seven innings of work striking out five and walking seven.
Kaiyan Shigematsu suffered the loss for Kaua‘i in two innings of work, giving up two runs on two hits while striking out five Warriors. The top bat for Kaua‘i belonged to AJ Arruda, who had a hit and two RBI.
