They can hold their own with the bats. Their pitchers will try to throw strikes. The defense could use a little work.
They can hold their own with the bats. Their pitchers will try to throw strikes. The defense could use a little work.
That’s coach Bo Saiki’s outlook on his Waiakea Warriors, the defending BIIF Division I softball champions, on the eve of the start of the regular season.
It should be noted that Saiki was rarely outwardly impressed with his teams even as they racked up a win streak that reached into the 50s and won five consecutive BIIF titles from 2007-11.
After Hilo went for a three-peat, Waiakea reclaimed the title last year, sweeping Keaau in the championship series, and the Warriors return the nucleus of that team as they integrate a group of promising freshmen into the lineup.
“Offensively, we should be pretty good,” Saiki said Friday as he watched his team practice. “We just don’t have overpowering pitching.”
The heart of the batting order will be held down by third baseman Taylor Ogawa, first baseman Skylar Thomas and catcher Taylor Nishimura.
Ogawa, an all-BIIF first-team selection in 2015, can also pitch. She and Alyssa Hara will be called on to carry the majority of the duties in the circle, though Kristi Hirata is among the seven pitchers that Saiki may call upon this season.
Hara is recouping from offseason surgery.
“She’s one of our faster throwers,” Saiki said. “We’re not going to strike many people out, so the defense has to work. That has been an issue.”
The Warriors’ defense didn’t always work, Saiki said, during Mililani’s preseason tournament on Oahu. Waiakea beat Waialua in a TKO but was TKO’d by everyone else.
Waiakea will debut three freshman in the lineup Saturday when it opens the season at Honokaa: right fielder Claire Kaneshiro, a guard on the basketball team, will bat leadoff; Phoebe Furuli, who gained seasoning on Hawaii RBI team last season, will play second; and Jolene Hirata is the left fielder.
“They are a good group,” Waiakea said.
Shortstop Brandee Chinen, Thomas, Nishimura, Kristi Hirata and Tierra Teves were all-BIIF honorable mention selections last season (there was second team).
While Kamehameha is the heavy favorite to win its fifth consecutive title in Division II, there figures to be more parity in Division I.
The three teams trying to catch up to Waiakea all underwent more offseason changes than the Warriors. Hilo (Kelly Galdones) and Kealakehe (Loni Mercado) will debut new coaches Saturday, while Keaau must replace four-year ace Lohi Kamakea-Wong, the 2015 BIIF Player of the Year.
“I don’t really know anything about them,” Saiki said.
He is a fan of the BIIF’s new unbalanced schedule, which will feature home-and-aways for divisional foes.
“That’s the way it should be decided,” he said.
Dragons TKO HPA
Honokaa took advantage of 17 walks and Keesha Matsuoka pitched a five-inning complete game as the Dragons beat visiting HPA 18-8 in the teams’ BIIF opener.
Thanks to all of the free passes, the Dragons needed only six hits to earn the TKO. Taylor Tabucbuc and Karly Requelman each had a hit, drove in three runs and scored twice. Tabucbuc’s hit was double.
For Ka Makani, Sakura Remsen collected a triple among her two hits and drove in a run, and Jordan Zarate had two hits and scored twice.
Kiai Lindsey started but only recorded one out as Honokaa scored nine runs in the first inning. Emily Fong went the final 3 2/3 innings.
Matsuoka struck out three and walked four.
Hawaii Prep 022 22 – 8 6 3
Honokaa 972 0x – 18 5 3