Posted on: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
HOMEGROWN REPORT
HOMEGROWN
Southern Utah has baseball pipeline
By Kalani Takase
Advertiser Staff Writer
Cedar City, home to Southern Utah University, has become a haven for baseball players from Hawai'i.
The Thunderbirds have seven local products on their roster and the head coach, Duane "Boy" Eldredge, is no stranger to Hawai'i either. The former Punahou School standout and Hawai'i Pacific head coach is in his fourth year at Southern Utah.
"I find them," Eldredge said of his Hawai'i contingent. "Our ties to Hawai'i are still very strong. Whether it's coaches in the (Interscholastic League of Honolulu), my brother, uncle or dad watching ball games, they'll get us enough feedback on guys."
Junior shortstop Keli'i Zablan (Saint Louis '05 of 'Ewa Beach), a second-team All-Conference selection last season, is batting a team-high .384 with 58 hits, 74 RBIs and 30 runs scored.
"Keli'i's been the biggest surprise this year," Eldredge said. "I think it's about maturity. He's shown that when he stays back on the ball and drives it to right-center, instead of pulling it, he's been successful."
Zablan has also stolen 12 of 19 bases this season.
Junior corner infielder Chester Wilson (Saint Louis '05 of Honolulu), who was first-team All-Conference last season, is batting. 349 — second-best on the team — with 53 hits, 24 RBIs and 28 runs scored.
"Chester's been pretty steady throughout each year," Eldredge said. "He had a very good year last year."
Wilson started 53 of the 55 games he appeared in last year with a .302 batting average.
Sophomore first baseman Bucky Aona (Punahou '06 of Makakilo) is batting .319 with 45 hits, 27 RBIs and 25 runs scored while junior outfielder Nick Freitas (Kamehameha '05 of Honolulu) is hitting .295 with 43 hits, 27 RBIs and 41 runs scored.
"A scout in the area told me (Freitas) is the number one prospect in the state of Utah," Eldredge said.
Freitas transferred from Miami (Fla.) after two seasons with the Hurricanes.
Freshmen Mitchell Kauweloa (Kamehameha '07 of Kailua) and Justin Neuhart (Moloka'i '07 of Kualapu'u) have not recorded any statistics and are likely to redshirt.
Sophomore pitcher Alec Reichle (Kaua'i '04 of Koloa) is 1-6 with a 8.35 ERA in 50 2/3 innings pitched. He has allowed 82 hits, 51 runs — 47 earned — with 29 walks and 30 strikeouts.
Southern Utah, founded in 1897 as Branch Normal School, hosts the annual Utah Shakespearean Festival and has an enrollment of about 8,000, including more than 7,500 undergraduates. SUU is a member of The Summit League (NCAA Division I). Cedar City is about 250 miles southwest of Salt Lake City and about 170 miles northeast of Las Vegas.
The Thunderbirds are currently 23-18, 10-5 in The Summit League.
MORE BASEBALL
Penn State junior second baseman Landon Nakata (Punahou '05) hit a two-run home run to help the Nittany Lions beat Illinois, 10-7, Saturday. Nakata went 3 for 3 with a double, RBI and three runs scored in the nightcap of the doubleheader, which Penn State won, 16-5.
San Diego State senior shortstop Troy Hanzawa (Mid-Pacific '03 of Wahiawa) batted 2 for 3 and drove in three runs in a 16-5 loss to TCU Saturday. Hanzawa, who bats third in the Aztecs' lineup, drove in another run in Sunday's 13-6 loss to the Horned Frogs. SDSU is 25-19, 11-7 in the Mountain West Conference.
BYU junior first baseman Kasey Ko (Punahou '05 of Kailua) went 4 for 13 with a home run, three RBIs, five runs scored and walked once in a three-game series with Air Force last weekend. Ko batted 3 for 6 with a double, RBI, five walks and four runs scored in a two-game sweep of Northern Colorado Monday and Tuesday.
Cal State Stanislaus junior infielder Jake Oketani (Kaua'i '04 of Lihue) went 3 for 3, scoring three times and was a double short of the cycle in an 11-4 win over Sonoma State Sunday.
Grinnell College (Iowa) sophomore outfielder Chad Takabuki (Mid-Pacific '06 of Honolulu) went 3 for 4 in the first game of a doubleheader sweep of Illinois College Saturday. Takabuki went 3 for 5 with a homer in the nightcap.
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Cal State Northridge senior outside hitter Isaac Kneubuhl (Kamehameha '03 of Pukalani) had nine kills, four digs, one ace and an assist in a three-game loss to Brigham Young Thursday in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation semifinals. Kneubuhl was named AVCA second-team All-American. He finished in the Matadors' top-10 in career attacks (2,507), digs (634) and service aces (80).
WOMEN'S GOLF
Stanford junior Mari Chun (Kamehameha '05 of Pearl City) has helped the Cardinal to the No. 8 seed in the NCAA West Regional, May 8 to 10 in Lincoln, Calif. Chun has four top-10 finishes this season and was named second-team All-Pac-10. USC is the top seed in the region.
Arizona junior Amanda Wilson (Waiakea '03 of Hilo) and the Wildcats are the fourth seed in the West Regional. Wilson finished in a tie for 32nd at the Pac-10 Championships last week.
Portland State junior Kayla Morinaga (Sacred Hearts '05 of Waipahu) and the Vikings are the No. 21 seed in the West Regional.
New Mexico sophomore Britney Choy (Leilehua '06 of Wahiawa) and the Lobos are the eighth seed in the East Regional, May 8 to 10 in Athens, Ga. The No. 20 Lobos will host the NCAA Women's Championships, May 20 to 23.
MEN'S GOLF
Oregon freshman Sean Maekawa (Honoka'a '07 of Pa'auilo) finished in a tie for 30th at the Pac-10 Championships last weekend in Fairfax, Calif. Maekawa shot 74-73-74 for an 8-over-par 221.
Point Loma Nazarene junior Sam Cyr (King Kekaulike '05 of Makawao) shot rounds of 74, 69 and 71 to win the NAIA Regional II Championships last week at Cypress Ridge Golf Course in Arroyo Grande, Calif. The NAIA National Championships are May 13 to 16 in Plymouth, Calif.
SOFTBALL
East Carolina sophomore third baseman Cristen Aona (Punahou '06 of Kapolei) batted 2 for 3 with an RBI in a 9-4 win over Memphis Saturday. Aona went 2 for 3, walked, was hit by a pitch and scored three runs in the second game of the doubleheader, a 12-11 win. Sophomore right fielder Charina Sumner (Kamehameha '06 of Kailua) batted 2 for 4, walked once and drove in three runs in the win.
BYU senior outfielder/catcher Emi Snow-Willing (Kamehameha '03 of Mililani) went 3 for 3, including a solo homer, in a 7-4 win over San Diego State Thursday.
New Mexico State freshman first baseman Hoku Nohara (Kamehameha '07 of Waimanalo) batted 2 for 4, including her 11th home run of the season, and drove in three runs in a 14-8 loss to San Jose State Saturday.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Lewis & Clark (Portland, Ore.) sophomore Lisa Harunaga (Kamehameha '06 of Kailua) was named first-team All-Northwest Conference for the second year in a row. Harunaga, who played at No. 2 singles, went 14-1 in the regular season.
WOMEN'S WATER POLO
Siena junior Lauren Garrigan (Kamehameha '05 of Kailua) scored two goals in an 11-9 loss to Marist in the semifinals of the Mid-American Athletic Conference Tournament Saturday in Loudonville, N.Y. Garrigan scored five goals in Sunday's 10-9 consolation loss to Wagner. The Saints finished 11-30.
FOOTBALL
Colorado sophomore Kai Maiava (Baldwin '07 of Wailuku) announced he will leave the Boulder campus because of "family issues," according to a story in the Denver Post. Maiava, who earned freshman All-America honors at offensive guard last season, was in the process of moving to fullback and was asked to shed 20 pounds. He said he is seeking to transfer to another major program, probably in California.
HONORS
Chanelle Esteban (Kaiser '06 of Hawai'i Kai) was named Female Athlete of the Year for the College of Southern Idaho last week. Esteban is a libero on the Golden Eagles' volleyball team.
COMMITMENTS
Kamehameha senior Skyler Kamaka has signed a letter of intent to play volleyball at Concordia (Portland, Ore.).
Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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