Hawai'i team to play baseball in Arizona
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Some of the state's top baseball prospects will play in front of college and professional scouts at the Arizona Senior Fall Wood Bat Classic next week.
Team Hawai'i is among 32 teams from 15 states and Canada in the classic, which runs Oct. 10-12 at the Peoria (Ariz.) Sports Complex, spring training site for the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. The team leaves Wednesday.
Twenty-two seniors and two juniors make up the squad that will be coached by Duane Eldredge.
"The main thing is to get these guys seen (by scouts and college coaches)," Eldredge said.
Eldredge said coaches from more than 100 colleges and 4-to-6 scouts from each major league team are expected to watch games, which run from 7:30 a.m. to darkness. Each team will play five games within the three-day period.
Among players on Team Hawai'i are Waiakea High pitchers Myles Ioane and Ronnie Loeffler, and Mid-Pacific Institute pitcher Harrison Kuroda. All three have verbally committed to play at the University of Hawai'i.
Other notable players include Waimea's Leonard Zalopany, who is ranked 227th in Perfect Game USA's top 250 prep prospects in the nation.
There are four players on the team who play in fall sports and have made been cleared for the trip, Eldredge said. Kailua's Michael Kealoha, Baldwin's Shevis Shima and Saint Louis' Kelii Zablan play football while Punahou's Michael Lam plays volleyball.
This is the fourth year that Eldredge is taking a team to the classic. He asks coaches from around the state to recommend players and then cross checks them before selecting the team.
The roster:
Myles Ioane (Waiakea), Avery Kagawa (Waiakea), Ronnie Loeffler (Waiakea), Matthew Haasenritter (Hilo), Jeremy Kaaukai (Hilo), Shevis Shima (Baldwin), Alex Reichle (Kaua'i), Leonard Zalopany (Waimea), Kepa Wong ('Aiea), Spencer Omalza (Leilehua), Michael Kealoha (Kailua), Chris Mahelona (Kailua), Randy Kitagawa (Kalani), Tristan Bailey (Campbell), Mark Veneri (Punahou), Michael Lam (Punahou), Shaun Kiriu (Punahou), Harrison Kuroda (Mid-Pacific), Ryan Asato (Mid-Pacific), Randy Rundgren (Mid-Pacific), Jowen Murray-Thornton (Saint Louis), Kelii Zablan (Saint Louis), Kanekoa Texeira (Kamehameha), Kody Seminara (Maryknoll). Duane Eldredge (manager), Al Carganilla (coach), Sydney Nozaki (coach), Dave Eldredge (coach).
CLINIC
Agbayani helps youngsters: Professional baseball player Benny Agbayani (Saint Louis/Hawai'i Pacific) will hold a clinic 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 8 at the Central O'ahu Regional Park.
Cost is $50, which includes lunch. It is open to children ages 11 to 18. Applications will be available at City Bank branches and the Batter's Box Batting Cages in Waipi'o. Or they may be obtained by calling 754-7579.
Agbayani said some of Hawai'i's other professional players will assist, including the Sardinha brothers — Dane, Duke and Bronson — Keoni DeRenne, Hubert Pruett and Kila Ka'aihue.
