HPU hoping to build on last season's success
By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer
For the Hawai'i Pacific baseball team this season, happiness comes with an improved offense, a promising lineup and scrappy attitude.
The Sea Warriors open with a four-game series at Wong Stadium in Hilo on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The teams play two seven-inning games on each day.
After finishing 18-31 in 2002, HPU rebounded to finish 24-24 last season in a rebuilding year that saw coach Allan Sato start three freshman position players for the first time in his HPU career.
"We're excited this year because of what the young guys did last year and the mix we have with the junior college guys," said Sato, who begins his ninth year. "I think we're going to be pretty good offensively."
The Sea Warriors compete as an independent program in Division II, and are one of three collegiate baseball programs in Hawai'i along with UH-Hilo and UH-Manoa. This season, HPU will play eight games against UH-Hilo and two games at UH-Manoa.
Last season, HPU surprised Sato by winning 16 of 18 games during one stretch after starting 4-10. Sato said his team gained confidence after playing a pair of games against UH-Manoa. (The Rainbows won both, 9-3 and 8-4.)
"I really didn't see that happening early in the season, where we would turn it around," Sato said. "I thought it would be a season where we would go out and take our licks, walk away with lumps, come back and learn from that. But these guys took the fight to everybody. I'm proud of them for that."
The Sea Warriors return 16 lettermen, including six starters: first baseman Alika Kuraoka (.341 batting average), second baseman Brandon Sato (.270), shortstop Grandon Costa (.379), center fielder Geoffrey Say (.314), right-hander David Zamarano (5-2, 4.34 ERA) and left-hander Kai Austin (2-3, 6.17).
Also expected to start this season are designated hitter Ikaika DuPont (.310), right fielder Tyler Ward (.296), left fielder Greg Benoit, right-hander Derok Roach and third baseman Kyle Stanley.
Benoit and Stanley are transfers from Orange Coast (Calif.) College, and Roach is from Phoenix (Ariz.) College.
"This year's offense is very high powered," Say said. "In intersquad games, we're scoring a lot of runs. I just hope we can carry it over to the games."
Sato said the projected six-man starting rotation will be led by Zamarano, followed by right-hander Mike Pelsnik (South Mountain College, Ariz.), left-hander Cruz Hatanaka (2-2, 6.26), Roach, right-hander Juan Guerra (L.A. Harbor Junior College) and Austin. Right-hander Bart Mendonca (Chandler-Gilbert College, Ariz.), right-hander Sean Paiva (1-0, 10.97) and right-hander Josh Ervin (2-2, 6.38, 2 saves) will share closer duties, Sato said.
Sato said the Sea Warriors lack experience at catcher after four recruits reported to HPU academically ineligible. The team will rely on two position players, Chase Nakamura (.214) and Benoit, to shoulder the load, he said. Nakamura, a converted infielder, is the leading candidate with outfielder Benoit as backup, Sato said.
For only the second time in Sato's coaching career, the Sea Warriors will play six home games at their practice site, Ke'ehi Lagoon Park. The rest of their 33 home games will be played at Aloha Stadium.
The Sea Warriors will play a tougher schedule this season with the University of Tampa (national champion runner-up), Sonoma State (finished No. 6 last season) and perennial power Chico State. HPU will also play a school-record 55 regular-season games.
"We've got a little better opponents than last year, so we're going to see what we're made of this year," Zamarano said. "Talent-wise, this team is better than last year. We just have to be on the same page and good things will happen for us."
Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2458.
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