Who better than a member of the UH-Hilo baseball Vulcans to offer a different perspective on a pandemic.
The program for years found alternative ways to measure success because of all its losing.
Winning hasn’t changed that.
For fourth-year sophomore third baseman Kobie Russell – the father of a 1-year-old son, Malosi, with former UHH volleyball player Basia Sauni – 2020 goes squarely in the win column.
“Everyone thinks of COVID as a bad thing, but I looked at it as a positive,” Russell said. “I got to watch my son grow. If COVID didn’t happen, I would never have seen him take his first step, his first teeth coming out. I would never have gotten to experience that with him.”
“Being a dad, honestly, it’s made me realize how much I love the game, and how much I want to pass it on.”
What is winning?
Sitting in his office with his depth chart mapped out on a wall to his left, it’s a question coach Kallen Miyataki asks often.
“Winning is not getting sick during the pandemic,” Miyataki said. “Everybody was safe, families are doing well and that’s our win right now.”
If 2020 was a win, than 2019 was an unqualified, over-the-top success story. The Vulcans reeled off 13 consecutive wins in a 26-19 campaign that snapped a string of 26 consecutive losing seasons.
It was a feel-good story in Hilo, and the general feeling was the Vuls were poised for more last season.
They were, to a point, before the pandemic shut things down with UHH 4-8, but 4-2 in PacWest and encouraged by a split against conference power Azusa Pacific.
What is winning?
Doing it when it counts, and emptying a bench when it doesn’t.
“We beat Hawaii Pacific the games we needed to win, the conference games,” Miyataki said. “Nonconference, I tend to play everyone. The loss is there, but it’s a win because the people we got to play.”
What is winning?
In 2021, it might be merely being able to play playing considering the state of UHH’s campus field – it’s swamp-like when it rains heavily, and it rains heavily here a lot. But the Vuls are better off than Hawaii Pacific – their opponent 24 times this season – which doesn’t have a field at the moment.
“I just hope we can play, that’s all the boys want is a chance to play,” junior closer John Kea said.
What is winning?
Keeping things interesting and fresh when playing the the Sharks, again and again and again.
“We can change the name, HPU one day, PUH the next,” Miyataki joked. “Whatever it is to make it fun for them.
“You still have to do your job. We’re going to look at it like that. It’s going to be harder, more disciplined to get up for.”
What is winning?
This weekend, for starters – it should be blast. UHH opens a four-game series against Hawaii on Friday at Les Murakami Stadium. No fans are allowed, but all games will be televised on Spectrum Sports. The Rainbow Warriors posted two comeback wins last season, dropping Miyataki’s career record against UH to 1-3, but he thinks that record could easily be 4-0.
“We’ve been blowing games, it’s not that they have been beating us,” Miyataki said.
What is winning?
Perhaps being on the wrong end of a lopsided rout against UH, which is coming off a overwhelming sweep against HPU as it outscored its D-II foe 46-6. Being exposed by the Rainbow Warriors, Miyataki said, wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world because it would enhance UHH’s development and ability to fix it’s weaknesses.
“Manoa owns everything in Hawaii, so how can (UH-Hilo) stir things up?” he said. “Well, let’s try to go stir things up.”
What is winning?
After getting back from Honolulu, a dry campus field would be nice, especially with Wong Stadium and it’s otherworldly drainage system unavailable. Not for lack of trying by coaches and players – everyone does their part to make it playable, catcher Jaryn Kanbara said – but the campus field can’t hold up in the rain. It’s unplayable after two downpours, the coach estimated, needing four days of blistering sun and gusts to recover.
“We’re just used to playing in the rain,” Kanbara said. “I think anything is playable for us.”
Miyataki is worried that HPU might not agree, and he’s already contacted HPU coach Dallas Correa about moving the teams’ PacWest openers, set for March 20-21 in Hilo, to later in the season.
Miyataki said the Sharks didn’t want to play a game last season at Wong because of a wet field – the Vuls were read to play – and he figures the conditions will be worse this time around.
“Will they play in that type of weather?” he said.
The Sharks have problems of their own. Their usual home, Hans L’Orange Field, isn’t available, Miyataki said, so HPU is searching for replacement.
“We’re trying to make sure we can play on this field constantly,” Kea said. “Hopefully, (HPU) can figure it out so we can have a season. Just trying to be optimistic about everything, especially during COVID.”
What is winning?
For the proud papa, it’s a regional berth, seemingly the only goal that evaded UHH in 2019.
“If I wasn’t confident, I would lie to you, saying I was confident,” Russell said, “but I know this group and they grind it out. No matter what COVID brought, all the complications and that kind of stuff.
“I’m still confident in this team. I always will be.”
What is winning?
Let’s find out.