Wild Win Lifts Molokai to D-II Baseball Semis

By Fred Guzman

Molokai High advanced to the semifinals of the state high school Division-II baseball tournament with a 14-11, extra-ining victory over Radford in a wild and weird a game featuring a combined 23 hits and 12 errors.

In short, sloppy but dramatic. And, for the Farmer’s a 7 o’clock date with the winner of Pac-Five//Hawaii Prep at Hans L’Orange Park.

Fittingly, Molokai’s decisive rally in the top of the ninth – capped by David Rapanot’s go-ahead, two-run double – started in bizarre fashion.

Raymond Lightfoot Lani led off with a single to left. He was caught off first on a pickoff throw, but was awarded second when he collided with a Radford infielder during a rundown.

Brayden Willing-McCutcheon followed with a bunt that landed in foul territory, but curved back into fair territory for a hit.

Rapanot then drilled the ball to the wall in left-center to make it 12-11. Kaoli Place added a sacrifice fly and Rapanot also scored on the play when the throw from the right fielder eluded the cut-off man.

Molokai’s Ryan Rapanot and Jubilee Tabiligan both drove in three runs. David Rapanot and Ehukai Rawlins both scored three times.

DIVISION-I: Earlier at Les Murakami, Kamehameha-Maui lived to play another day. On Saturday, to be exact, when the Warriors face the winner of today’s game between Leilehua and Mililani in the 9 a.m. consolation final. Kamehameha advanced by beating Radford 2-1 in a game that was shortened to 1 hour, 18 minutes – and was stopped in the fourth inning – because of late start caused by rain.