HPU baseball rebuilding around freshmen
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai'i Pacific baseball coach Allan Sato is expecting big things from his self-described little guys this season.
The Sea Warriors are looking for a turnaround from last season's 18-31 finish and they're banking on three freshmen to provide immediate impact as starters.
The HPU season begins with a six-game series against Sonoma State on Feb. 6-8 at Hans L'Orange Park. The teams play a doubleheader each day.
"Last year was a tough year for us," said Sato, 39, who is entering his eighth year and has a 133-140-1 record. "Everyone wants to improve on 18-31. This year's team, we're scrappy and more athletic."
As proof, the Sea Warriors — who compete as an independent program in Division II — will start first-year players Geoffrey Say from Moanalua High School, and Brandon Sato and Grandon Costa from Saint Louis School. Say will start in center field, Sato at second base and Costa at third base.
None of the three is taller than 5 feet 10 and weighs more than 170 pounds.
"They are the mighty mites," Sato said. "They are all little guys. But these kids, they have hearts like lions. They are going to be thrown into the fire from the start."
Sato said he's never started three freshmen position players before. This season, he tried a new recruiting approach, bringing in more freshmen and mixing them with junior college players. Fourteen of the 27 players on the roster are underclassmen, including 10 freshmen.
"We went after good people, good talent and we just decided that we were going to start fresh all over again," Sato said.
Costa and Brandon Sato played baseball together since the seventh grade. At Saint Louis, Costa earned Interscholastic League of Honolulu honorable mention honors as a shortstop, and Sato garnered all-state honorable mention and ILH first-team honors at second.
"Grandon can play," Brandon Sato said. "He has a good arm and he can hit. He was basically a second baseman's dream playing alongside of him."
Added Costa: "We're good friends and we go out together. Brandon's a good player and he's fast. He has all the skills. He'll do well this year."
The three freshmen had different reasons for choosing HPU. Costa said he liked the school's academic program. He said he earned a 3.0 in his first college semester and is majoring in justice administration.
Sato said family ties swayed him towards HPU. His father, Dean, is an HPU assistant coach, and Allan Sato is his uncle.
"I always wanted to play at home in front of my mom and dad, and my grandpa and grandma," Sato said. "I came down here to play for my uncle."
Say enrolled at Orange Coast College in California and stayed for a short period, but returned to Hawai'i after missing the comforts of home.
"I missed the food, the beach, having my own car," Say said. "That's what made me come back."
Say earned all-state, first-team honors as a second baseman. He also played shortstop for the Menehunes.
"Geoff is a speed guy," Costa said. "He'll probably be our leadoff hitter this year. He's a good outfielder because he has speed. He can cover a lot of ground."
Say said he appreciated the coaches' confidence in him and said he relished the challenge of playing as a freshman.
"I really don't feel any pressure," he said. "I just go out there and play. It's fun for me. All the freshmen, we should do all right."
Notes: Allan Sato's projected starters are: C Shay Hirota (5-8, 165, Sr.), 1B Alika Kuraoka (6-1, 200, So.), 2B Brandon Sato (5-10, 150, Fr.), SS Bryan Daguio (6-0, 175, Jr.), 3B Grandon Costa (5-9, 170, Fr.), LF Scott Hunter (6-0, 180, Jr.), CF Geoffrey Say (5-10, 160, Fr.), RF Tyler Ward (6-0, 200, Jr.), DH Ikaika DuPont (5-10, 185, Jr.). Starting rotation: Blane Muraoka (LHP, 5-9, 180, Sr.), David Zamarano (RHP, 6-3, 190, Jr.), Brent Erickson (RHP, 6-1, 175, So.), Matt Paulsen (RHP, 6-0, 180, Jr.), Kai Austin (LHP, 6-0, 200, Jr.), Zach Blatties (LHP, 6-1, 205, Fr.). Relievers: Sean Paiva (RHP, 6-1, 190, So.), Josh Ervin (RHP, 6-0, 195, Jr.).
Hawai'i Pacific 2003 baseball schedule
February
6—Sonoma State University*, 4 p.m. 7—Sonoma State University*, 4 p.m. 8—Sonoma State University#, 2 p.m. 12—Hawai'i-Hilo#, 10 a.m. 22—Hawai'i-Hilo#, 11 a.m., at Kona, Hawai'i. 23—Hawai'i-Hilo#, 11 a.m., at Kona, Hawai'i. 26—at UH-Manoa, 6:35 p.m.
March
10—Matsusaka University, 7 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. 11—at UH-Manoa, 6:35 p.m. 14—Colorado School of Mines#, 4 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. 15—Colorado School of Mines#, 4 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. 16—Colorado School of Mines#, 4 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. 18—Concordia University*, 4 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. 19—Concordia University*, 4 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. 23—SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY*, 4 p.m. 24—SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY*, 4 p.m. 25—SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY*, 4 p.m. 26—SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY, 7 p.m.
April
10—GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY#, 4 p.m. 11—GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY#, 4 p.m. 12—GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY#, 4 p.m. 18—at California State University-Dominguez Hills#, TBA. 19—at California State University-Dominguez Hills#, TBA. 21—at Cal Poly Pomona, TBA. 22—at Cal Poly Pomona, TBA. 23—at UC San Diego, TBA. 25—at California State University-Dominguez Hills, TBA. 26—at California State University-Dominguez Hills#, TBA.
#—two seven-inning games
*—one seven-inning game, followed by one nine-inning game
Home games at Hans L'Orange Park in CAPS
