Pre-season Games Give Marauders Needed Experience
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usThe Waipahu baseball team’s greater chore this pre-season, first and foremost, has been winning the battle within.
“With only one senior in the starting lineup, we’re still making a lot of mistakes,“admitted Waipahu head coach Milton Takenaka, who is entering his 23rd season with the Marauders. “But we have a lot of potential.
“We’re trying to do the fundamental things (consistently) well and make the routine plays. We lack experience, so the kids are still a little unsure as to where they should always be. Getting playing time, seeing things happen (during a game), that’s our hangup right now.”
“We’ll start four juniors, three sophomores, a freshman and a senior.”
With that in mind, perhaps no team in the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s Western Conference benefited more from its pre-season schedule than the Marauders, who were eager to accumulate game experience. In addition to a trip to a Maui tournament, Waipahu (0-6) also logged valuable experience in games with defending OIA champion Aiea as well as traditional East power Kailua.
“If our pitchers can throw strikes and we can get better defensively, we think we can play with most teams,“he said.“We’ve been hitting the ball OK, averaging four or five runs a game, but it’s a matter of not giving up nine or 10.There isn’t anything (that occurred in pre-season) we can’t fix.”
Centerfielder Jaris KomuraRosete is the lone senior in the lineup. A three-year starter, he figures to be among the best players at his position in the West.
“He has some speed, and he has a little power batting from the left side,“Takenaka said.“He’s 5-11, and being that it’s his third year on the varsity, we look to him for leadership.”
Takenaka is also high on pitcher Eric Hudson, shortstop/pitcher Tryton Gante and pitcher/out-fielder Kaimi Haina. Hudson is a junior, who played in the Marauder varsity program as a freshman before transferring to Damien for his sophomore season. Gante and Haina are sophomores playing their second varsity season.
“Eric would be our No. 1 pitcher right now,” Takenaka said. “He throws strikes, and he keeps the ball down in the strike zone,which helps (to prompt) a lot of ground balls. He’ll help us - he gives us another arm. Tryton’s strength is that he’s a fighter.Kaimi is a hard worker,and he’s going to get better. Both had a lot of playing time as freshmen.That will help us.”
The Marauders also will feature a pair of players in infielder Sina Nu’u and outfielder Kari Sakamoto, who recently completed their respective seasons with the Waipahu girls softball team.
“Speed-wise, it’s a whole different story, so they’re in transition,” Takenaka said.“That’s their biggest adjustment.“Nu’u will open the season at third base with Sakamoto expected to vie for playing time in the infield and outfield.
Through six pre-season games, the Marauders’ offensive development has been ahead of its defense, according to Takenaka.“I think we’ll be all right offensively.We have some kids that can run and some kids with some pop in their bat. Defensively and pitching-wise, we’ll just have to get better because we still make JV (type) mistakes.”
Balance has been the prevailing theme in the West over the years. The Marauders, who are seeking their first post-season appearance in three years, are hoping to be in the mix.Waipahu travels to Mililani for its season opener March 21.
“Mililani, Pearl City, Aiea and Leilehua are the teams on the top level,” said Takenaka, who led Waipahu to an OIA title in his first season in 1985.“The rest of us have to scratch and claw and, hopefully, win some games.”
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