Posted on: Wednesday, May 4, 2005
HOMEGROWN REPORT
No place on diamond for sibling rivalry
| • | Five from Hawai'i tee it up at women's NCAAs |
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
For two brothers who say they aren't competitive with one another, their choice of schools could make you think otherwise.
After playing their prep careers for opposing schools, Kyle and Kody Seminara continued their college careers ... playing for opposing schools in Southern California.
Kyle, a junior outfielder for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, and Kody, a freshman pitcher for Whittier College, met up last weekend in Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play.
"We're not really that competitive, we want the best for each other," said Kyle, a 2002 Punahou graduate who attends Claremont McKenna and plays for the team that draws its players from Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd and Scripps colleges. "I want him to do well; it makes me happy to see him succeed. I'll brag to my friends about how he does. I'm pretty sure he feels the same way. He tells me he does."
Kody, a 2004 ASSETS graduate who played for Maryknoll in high school, said there is competition, but only on the field.
"I say it's the same as high school," Kody said. "It's fun playing against each other. You're rooting for your team to win, but you want him to do good.
"It's not a big thing between us. I believe, sometimes, our teammates hype it up more than we do."
After competing against each other for two years in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, they renewed their not-so-intense rivalry when Whittier traveled to Claremont, Calif., last weekend and swept a doubleheader, 16-11 (in 11 innings) and 10-7.
In the four times the schools have played this season — Whittier also swept a doubleheader, 9-3 and 17-1, on March 5 — the brothers have not faced each other, although they came close to it Saturday.
"The last game we played, he was warming up in the bullpen and I was up to bat," Kyle said.
Kody added: "I don't think it was on purpose. Our pitcher was getting in trouble and I was next up. But, luckily, our guy got my brother out, so it never occurred. But it was close to happening."
Kyle recalled some success when he faced his brother in high school. "I know the last time I faced him, he struck me out," he said. "It was kind of embarrassing, but I think I'm career 7 for 8 off of him, with a lot of doubles and triples.
"I got it (teasing) more from my friends than I did from him."
Kody said, "I don't know what he was (batting against me). Yeah, I struck him out once, but he hit me pretty hard the rest of the time."
Kyle is also hitting college competition hard. He led the team in batting average (.376), RBIs (41), total bases (95), hits (65) and slugging percentage (.549).
Kody has a 1-4 record with a 6.55 earned run average. In 22 innings, he has allowed opponents a .286 batting average.
Their parents, Tom and Cindi Seminara, flew up to Southern California last week to watch their sons play.
"Now, it's a little different than it was in high school," Cindy Seminara said. "High school was more competitive. Kody is only pitching and Kyle is in the game the entire time. I find myself rooting more for Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, but when Kody is in it becomes more neutral.
"In high school I was really nervous when they would play against each other. I've settled down a little bit and just want them to do well and do their best. It's more about that."
The brothers' schools are about a 30-minute drive from each other, and they meet up about once every two weeks.
They see each other more now, since they got a truck in February to help with the travel.
"We go by whoever needs it," Kyle said.
Whittier's roster includes four other players from Hawai'i. They are junior infielder Jason Teruya (Iolani), senior outfielder Ryan Kitamura (Punahou), sophomore second baseman/shortstop Joe McFarlin (Seabury Hall), and freshman outfielder Jerard Taira (Kamehameha).
"The first couple of weeks it was really helpful, because one of the guys from Hawai'i (Kitamura) was from my brother's school," Kody said. "He helped me. All the other guys made me feel welcome. I had people to eat with. The whole team was really like that."
The CMS roster also includes freshman catcher Robert Kurisu and junior pitcher Matthew Oda, both from Punahou.
"It's kind of nice to see familiar faces on the field and it adds a little more competition," said Kyle, who added former players such as Iolani alums Eric Yamamoto and Tyler Kimura and Punahou graduate Chad Sakumoto helped ease his transition to college.
Kody said he didn't intentionally go to a school that was in the same conference as his brother. He said he wanted to attend a school in Southern California, and when he saw what schools he was accepted to, he balanced the athletics — his coaches told him he would also have a chance to play soccer — and academics.
"I wasn't thinking about him, I thought about that later," Kody said. "And it was like, 'Oh, Whittier, I guess we'll be able to play against each other again.' "
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
