Wapahani baseball tops Eastbrook in top-10 matchup shortened by the elements

SELMA — In a game halted by lightning and finished early for darkness, Wapahani baseball pulled out a come-from-behind victory on the home field. The Raiders — tied for No. 9 in Class 2A in the latest IHSBCA coaches poll — hosted 2A No.

6 Eastbrook in an early-season top-10 matchup at Coach Brian J. Dudley Field. After a 50-minute lightning delay in the middle of the third inning, Wapahani rallied back to take a 5-4 lead in the fifth, after which the game was called for darkness.

"It's hard to keep everybody engaged for close to an hour in the dugout," Wapahani coach Heath Dudley said. "A bunch of 15-to-18-year-olds, to keep them contained and focused on the task at hand, knowing we're going to be able to get through the lightning stuff and have enough daylight the play some innings. " More: VOTE NOW for The Star Press IU Health Athlete of the Week for April 6-11 More: Cowan's Jaydon Auker voted IU Health Preseason Baseball Player of the Year Before the delay, Eastbrook had scored twice in the top of the third inning to go up 3-1.

Wapahani was near the top of its batting order immediately after the extended break, and Dudley knew they couldn't put up an empty inning with time until sunset suddenly a factor. They didn't manage to tie it, but the Raiders scored one when Eastbrook's third baseman interfered with junior Haiden James at the bag, which allowed James to advance home and score. "Before the lightning, that was what I told them," Dudley said.