Warriors’ Sardinha
picks Pepperdine

He's rated as Hawaii's
top baseball prospect

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Kamehameha catcher Dane Sardinha, rated by several pro scouts as Hawaii's top prospect in the 1997 amateur draft, has accepted a baseball scholarship from Pepperdine University.

Sardinha turned down a number of college offers, including Fresno State and Miami, which were among his final considerations.

He is rated one of the top three prep catchers in America and is considered the leading candidate for USA Today's All-American first team.

Despite his academic choice, Sardinha could change his plans if he is selected as early as many expect in the baseball draft. Clubs showing the most interest in his talents have been the Boston Red Sox, the Atlanta Braves, the Florida Marlins and the Kansas City Royals.

"I liked Pepperdine because it has a good location (Malibu), a nice campus, good coaches and it's a strong Christian school, Sardinha said."