Baldwin Excessive Faculty gamers wait to welcome teammate Bailey Nagasako house after a two-run homer within the fourth inning of an Eight-1 win over Leilehua in a preseason match Thursday on the Central Maui Regional Sports activities Advanced. The Maui Information / MATTHEW THAYER pictures
KAHULUI — Baldwin Excessive Faculty head coach Sanoe Montilliano Kekahuna spent the Bears' Eight-1 win over Leilehua on Thursday behind the cyclone fence on subject no. 1 from the Central Maui Regional Sports activities Advanced.
As she recovers from a torn meniscus in her left knee following a work-related accident final November, Montilliano Kekahuna remains to be the undisputed chief of her alma mater's softball staff regardless of not being in her acquainted spot within the third base coach's field because the Bears. knock on.
“I'm taking it one step at a time, dwelling life to the fullest and grateful and blessed to be right here at the moment.” Montilliano Kekahuna mentioned at Baldwin Excessive Faculty's first softball match.
Montilliano Kekahuna, a former standout on the College of California, added that returning to teaching softball has been a blessing.
“It helped me quite a bit, truly,” mentioned Montilliano Priest. “Simply understanding how huge this program is and the way essential it’s to us and our staff, our tradition. I'm proud to be a Baldwin Bear. Sure, I'm excited.”
Montilliano-Professor
The match has been an ongoing factor for a number of years, however it simply wouldn't have been the identical with out Montilliano Kekahuna on Thursday's opening day.
“You realize, by the grace of God we got this chance.” mentioned Montilliano Priest. “We've been ready patiently for a few years now and so we have been capable of even have the chance for our groups to come back and be part of this program or this match. So, sure, we're excited, we're pleased, we're grateful and grateful that every one of this has been put in place and we're actually able to go.”
Bears hit three house runs of their 2024 opener – Malialei Dafun put them up 1-Zero with a solo shot within the backside of the primary, Bailey Nagasako's two-run shot made it Three-1 within the third and Kalia DeMello. two-run homer put the sport out of attain within the fifth inning.
“It felt actually good, that was my first highschool house run,” mentioned DeMello, the junior first baseman. “I felt actually good and I feel this staff will be actually good.”
All three Bears who made the homepage mentioned it was gratifying to have their coach in her acquainted function main this system.
Baldwin's Kiyana Nakagawa hits a one-run homer in opposition to Leilehua on Thursday
“An excellent coach, she was there for us it doesn’t matter what,” DeMello mentioned.
Nagasako is a junior catcher and nook infielder for the Bears.
“It felt actually good, particularly as a result of it's like our first house recreation, our first annual match,” Nagasako mentioned. “We simply confirmed up for Maui, particularly after what we went by and our coach, the coaches.”
Nagasako added, “It's good to have coach Sanoe again. She's simply teaching on the aspect proper now, however she nonetheless does quite a bit for us and remains to be there for us. And she or he tries to be there each time she will and do what she will as a result of she nonetheless hurts just a little bit.”
Dafun, a senior outfielder, additionally hit her first house run as a highschool participant.
Baldwin's Hope Batulayan-Cordona will pitch within the third inning in opposition to Leilehua on Thursday.
“I assumed it was fairly cool, I used to be just a little nervous too, as a result of Leilehua is an efficient staff.” Dafun mentioned of her homer that got here on a full depend. “After I hit it, I didn't understand it was a house run, however once I heard everyone cheering, that's once I knew it was a house run. It was like an adrenaline rush.”
The occasion additionally options King Kekaulike and Kamehameha Maui of the Maui Interscholastic League and Moanalua, Mid-Pacific, Kalani and Kamehameha Kapalama of Oahu.
King Kekaulike beat Kamehameha Maui 13-Four and Moanalua defeated Mid-Pacific 12-2 on Thursday.
Kamehameha Maui head coach Madison Vaught was happy with her staff as she ready for a potluck with Moanalua, the place her youthful sister Montana Vaught is an assistant coach. The 2 groups are scheduled to play this morning at Eight:30.
“It's tremendous, tremendous cool,” Madison Vaught mentioned of the chance to play a preseason occasion at house. “It's an excellent alternative for all of us to get collectively and see groups from completely different islands, see groups we haven't seen in a very long time. It's an excellent alternative for us to get extra video games in earlier than the season begins. And it's a whole lot of enjoyable, the tour has a whole lot of actually enjoyable actions. I feel it's an effective way to convey all the youngsters collectively.”
Kekaulike King Anuhea Taiwerpiy launches a chopper in the course of the sixth inning of Na Alii's 13-Four win over Kamehameha Maui on Thursday.
King Kekaulike head coach Kylie Rose Asher is a former Baldwin State and Utah standout.
“This (match) is superior, I imply it's actually cool that the ladies don't should journey to Oahu like we usually do.” Asher mentioned. “So we actually thank Baldwin for placing it on. It was within the works final yr, there was just a little little bit of discuss it, I'm glad they adopted by and are bringing us groups from Oahu.”
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.
The Bears' Bailey Nagasako follows a two-run homer within the fourth inning Thursday.