KAILUA — Kailua Little League has two strikes pending but is still playing for a win and hoping the public will help.

With its field slotted for several summer tournaments, the group planned to get it in top condition. But the riding mower broke.

Strike one.

Then five volunteers did what one man and a riding mower could do. Parents and players pitched in with gas-powered walking mowers to spruce up Keolu Field for two tournaments last month.

The work left the volunteers with a new appreciation for the man who for about 30 years has singlehandedly taken care of the field while coaching teams for the organization, said Lilith Samson, a mother of one of the players.

"Adam Lui works full time, but he still takes time to water the grass and mow the lawn for the kids," Samson said.

With permission from the city, Lui uses a tall, sticklike sprinkler, inserts it in the ground and waits 20 minutes before rotating it to another location. He drives there every day on his golf cart to mow, water, pull weeds or edge the lawn, she said.

"He's very particular about raking the field after every practice," Samson said, adding that even on Sunday after the public uses the field he'll go there to check it.

When Samson mentioned the idea of raising money to purchase another riding mower for Lui, the Kailua Royals' 12-year-old players ran with it.

They agreed that a volunteer should have the right tools to get the job done. So, Samson and some of her son's Kailua Royals teammates decided to sell food at tournaments to raise money to buy a $2,900 mower.

They borrowed a generator to run the concession stand and the speakers for the public address system. Everyone knew the kids were raising money for the mower, so spectators purchased from the concession or donated directly to the organization.

After two tournaments, the team had raised $2,100 and knew that it would reach its goal during a tournament that begins Friday. But then the generator was stolen.

Strike two.

Now, the Kailua Royals know about setbacks. The team has had a losing season. But it's determined to keep trying, despite the count.

Samson's son Kai said he was upset by the theft that took place sometime early Friday morning. Kai said Lui deserves the mower because he spends so much time maintaining the field.

"Now we need to raise money to get a new generator and a lawn mower," he said, adding that he was confident the team could do that at the tournament this week.

Samson said the lesson is difficult for the team but replacing the generator is the right thing for the team to do. She requests that anyone with information about the theft call the police. Also, Samson said the thief may return the generator, no questions asked.

"This hurts the kids. This hurts the community," she said, adding, "we might be on our second strike, but we're not going to let them win."