Nobu Yamauchi Nike softball finishes week at World Series
The Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities, also known as RBI, is a youth program founded by Major League Baseball. Hawai‘i’s own Nobu Yamauchi Nike RBI softball team, consisting of the top youth players from around the state, played in the Nike RBI World Series this past week in Vero Beach, Fla. — and the group did not disappoint.
In the double-elimination tournament, Nobu Yamauchi won its first two games — 1-0 versus Puerto Rico Aguadilla and 8-4 against Detroit Softball on Tuesday. It then lost its first game Wednesday to Washington Nationals Nike RBI by a score of 4-3, but the Hawai‘i team then rebounded and beat Gary Nike RBI 4-3 later that same day once double-elimination play officially began.
On Thursday, the team then fell to the Houston Astros Nike RBI Softball team 7-2. After subsequently beating Puerto Rico again by a score of 10-2, Nobu Yamauchi was officially eliminated from the tournament in a 3-2 matchup against Atlanta Braves Nike RBI.
Despite falling short in the tournament, Nobu Yamauchi had much to be proud of. Iolani High School star Hunter-Salausa-Galletes took home the Jenni Finch Empowerment Overall Award, winning $10,000 overall. Kylie Garcia, another teammate, won the team element of the award — which was $1,000. Garcia recently graduated from Damien High School, and plans to play softball for UH-Hilo this spring.
Hilo Summer Open today
The Hawaii Triple Crown of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is organizing a day of fun today at the Hilo Civic Center. The Hilo Summer Open Championship begins at 10 a.m., hosting some of the best local jiu jitsu competitors under one roof. The day will begin with the keiki division followed by the adults and juveniles. Competitors are asked to arrive one hour before the event begins. Adult admission is $12, and keiki admission is $6. Those under 5 years of age are granted free admission.
Davis to play for Team USA
One of the Big Island’s best gets to live out his dream in the coming weeks on an international level. The 2015 Kamehameha-Schools Hawai‘i graduate and Kona native Pono Davis was recently selected to play for Team USA Rugby in the Pacific Nations Cup, which is a month-long international pool-play competition between the United States, Japan, Fiji, Samoa, Canada and Tonga. The tournament begins Aug. 22, but Davis and the U.S. won’t start their group play until Aug. 31 against Canada.
Davis currently plays for the Houston Sabercats of Major League Rugby (MLR).