There is a close camaraderie between Waipahu's Kari Sakamoto and Sina Nuu.

It's no surprise since they're both taking swings at the boys as members of the Marauders baseball team.

Sakamoto plays right field and second base, while Nuu plays first base and third base. Both have started regularly this season, according to Waipahu coach Milton Takenaka.

"They've been holding their own," Takenaka said.

Sakamoto and Nuu also played for the Marauders softball team earlier this year.

"It's good to have someone to play baseball and softball with me because we can relate to each other," said Sakamoto, a junior.

For softball, Sakamoto played shortstop, while Nuu played second base, center field and pitched. The Marauders made the state softball tournament in their first season in Division I.

"For them, it's a big adjustment as far as the speed of the game from softball," Takenaka said. "Both of the girls did well in softball."

Sakamoto played baseball "a couple years in elementary, but I quit."

Nuu said she played from "kindergarten till sixth grade," but quit to take up softball.

Both haven't put up solid numbers on the baseball diamond, but their most important statistic is simply their participation.

"It's more challenging. It's harder than softball," Sakamoto said. "There's more to it than in softball, plus the boys are stronger and faster. It's harder to keep up with them, but it's fun."

Nuu, a sophomore, said her baseball stats are "not that great. I still have to work on some things."

Sakamoto and Nuu played on the Marauders' junior varsity baseball team last season, so they have had little trouble fitting in with their varsity teammates this season.

"They treat us good," Sakamoto said. "They don't treat us any differently. We're just one of the guys, I guess."

The pair has been pretty busy recently because both also play together in the Huimana softball league.

"Some days we go straight from baseball practice to softball practice," Sakamoto said.

There was an odd sight in Waipahu's game against Nanakuli on April 11 — four girls in the infield.

"At one point, when we were hitting, Sina was on second and I was on first, and their two girls were playing first and second," Sakamoto said.

Waipahu (2-7) won that game, 10-0, for its first win of the season. Nanakuli has since dropped out because of a lack of players.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.