MIL baseball preview: D-I race appears to be anybodys game | News, Sports, Jobs

Baldwin High School’s Levi Maddela digs for third after hitting a two-run triple during a preseason game against Kapaa on Feb. 16. The MIL Division I baseball season starts next week with a pivotal series between the Bears and Kamehameha Maui. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

WAILUKU — The Maui Interscholastic League is always a dramatic sprint to the finish line in Division I baseball, but this season’s race comes along with some intriguing storylines.

Baldwin High School, the 11-time defending MIL champion which has seven state final fours, five state championship game appearances and two state titles since 2010, finished 1-6-1 in preseason play.

The Bears had three close losses in their own tournament last weekend in games that all came down to the final frame — to Saint Louis, Iolani and Waiakea, all teams ranked in the state’s top seven by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.

In their 7-5 loss to Saint Louis on Thursday, the Bears committed six errors that led to six unearned runs. Coach Craig Okita saw some progress after that in one-run losses to Iolani and Waiakea.

“I think as a group we are getting better,” Okita said on Tuesday. “We have a long way to go, but I like the direction we’re headed in. We’ve had some injuries that have kind of hurt us a little bit in the preseason and we’re hoping to get those guys back next week and hopefully be close to full strength for the series against Kamehameha.”

Richardson

After being told that the HHSAA state tournament had been moved up a week, the MIL was contemplating starting the D-I regular season slate this week before settling on starting next week as had been originally planned.

The league slate starts with a bang next week with Baldwin facing MIL pennant contender Kamehameha Maui for games Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

“We’re excited, the boys are excited to start the season,” Okita said. “It doesn’t matter who we play, we have got to play everybody. So, it doesn’t matter who we play. We’re excited to get going. We’re heading in the right direction.

“It was a pretty sad preseason, I would say, for Baldwin baseball, but in our tournament all three games we played three of the top seven teams in the state and they are ranked in the top seven for a reason. We had our chances to win each game.”

The Bears are led by University of Hawaii signee Levi Maddela, a left-hander who is expected to be the No. 1 starter on the mound and at first base or in center field when he is not pitching.

Mata

Okita is hopeful to have Laakea Ko, Jevon Raboy and Kaden Antolin — all possible starters in the infield — and Maddela all at close to 100 percent healthy by next week. All four have missed time in the preseason due to injury.

Okita added he wanted to get going this week.

“You know what? I really wanted to play,” he said. “I don’t know what the holdup was with the county. It’s a little disappointing because they were doing it for the right reason. We don’t want to be flipping coins at the end to figure out who is going to go to the state tournament.

“They moved up the state tournament, so rightfully so we should move up. The (Interscholastic League of Honolulu) is playing today.”

Okita also looked at the bright side for his team.

“It gives us another week to prepare and another week to heal up, so it’s not a bad situation for us, but I would have preferred playing this week,” he said.

Maui High is 5-2 after the preseason and is armed with perhaps the best 1-2 starting pitching punch in the state, in seniors Jonah Richardson and Christopher Mata.

“Oh yeah, definitely, they’re awesome, they’re great kids and I know that they are competitors and they will keep us in the game,” Maui High coach Chase Corniel said. “The main thing is they throw strikes, which will help us in so many ways.”

The Sabers own wins over Valley Center (Calif.), defending state champion Waiakea, Kahuku, Saint Louis and Kamehameha Maui.

The Sabers’ losses came to Maryknoll and Aiea.

Corniel said his No. 3 weekly starter will be “by committee. We’re still trying to determine that right now.”

Maui High will be on a bye next week when the other three-game series will be Lahainaluna vs. King Kekaulike.

“Our league is tough, man, one of the best in the state,” Corniel said. “Nobody, there’s no gimmes, that’s for sure. We never take anybody lightly, we treat every opponent the same. It basically comes down to who shows up that given day.”

Kamehameha Maui is coached by Shane Dudoit, who guided Baldwin to the 2018 state crown. The Warriors are 4-3 after preseason play with wins over Kahuku, Iolani, Aiea and Kauai.

“The MIL is always tough, bruddah,” Dudoit said. “It’s about having the right guys ready at the right time, having the injuries kind of take care of itself over time, having time to recoup after all of these (preseason) tournaments. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to it and I think everyone is on Maui.

“You got great teams in Baldwin and Maui High, Lahainaluna, King K has a new coaching staff up there. So, you know, we’ll see how it plays out, but it’s good for baseball here, bruddah. … It’s anybody’s game.”

Dudoit, who is also a scout in the Texas Rangers organization, is coaching his youngest son Halii in his return to coaching after leaving Baldwin in 2019. When Shane Dudoit was with Baldwin, older sons Haloa and Haku both played on state title teams, in 2016 and 2018, respectively.

“I’m having fun, bruddah, the kids are fricking hilarious,” Shane Dudoit said. “They make it fun to coach.”

Dudoit points to Japheth Joaquin, Raige Velez and Laiku Wong — his team’s only three seniors — as key players.

“We’re going to lean on them, a lot,” Dudoit said. ‘We’re going to be counting on those guys, a lot, to lead us through the short, 12-game season and hopefully carry us into the playoffs and a state tournament berth.”

Joaquin said he is having a ball playing for Dudoit.

“It’s very different from what I had before, it’s a lot of working on some of the small things because the small things is what makes us become big overall,” Joaquin said. “With this team, if we play how we’re supposed to, we can take it all the way to the state championship.”

Danton Hong is back as head coach of a scrappy, but young Lahainaluna team that has a win over Kamehameha Maui.

George Kitagawa takes over as head coach for King Kekaulike after veteran coach Mark Makimoto moved into the interim athletic director chair. Kitagawa has solid senior leadership in catcher Jacob Poouahi and pitcher Jaxon Wong.

“I’m having a ton of fun,” Poouahi said. “Can’t wait for the regular season.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

Richardson Baldwin High School’s Levi Maddela digs for third after hitting a two-run triple during a preseason game against Kapaa on Feb. 16. The MIL Division I baseball season starts next week with a pivotal series between the Bears and Kamehameha Maui. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo Mata

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