Tuesday, May 5, 1998

By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
Duke Sardinha, left, backs up brother Bronson on a
play at second base for Kamehameha.

---

Sardinha brothers
are talent-packed

Kamehameha's double-play
combination is all in the family

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Duke and Bronson Sardinha have lived in the shadow of older brother, Dane, throughout their lives.

He was bigger, stronger, more talented and everyone said he was destined for the major leagues.

The younger Sardinhas watched him perform, marveled at his powerful and accurate throws from behind the plate, and his timely power hitting.

Duke and Bronson were proud when Dane was drafted in the second round of baseball's annual amateur draft last year, and even prouder when he stuck to his guns and waved off a lucrative pro offer to attend Pepperdine University.

But this season, Dane hasn't been around. He's in Malibu. The mantle of the admired had to pass to the admirers.

"I knew I was going to try harder, because we always had to at least try to come close to him," said Duke, a 5-foot-10, 180-pound senior shortstop.

Bronson, a 5-11, 170-pound freshman second baseman-left fielder who shows stunning potential, idolizes Dane and just wonders when he's going to send him shoes and a glove.

There's no ignoring the fact that the Sardinhas have been making things happen for Kamehameha (9-5), which faces Punahou at 6 p.m. at Ala Wai Field in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu playoffs.

The brothers have 41 RBIs between them, about one-third the Warriors' run production this season. And they have struck out only 12 times in 104 at-bats.

"Duke and Bronson have been hitting at the top of the lineup since the start of the year," said Kamehameha head baseball coach Vern Ramie.

"They're both line drive hitters, although Bronson will spray the ball a little more. He's more of a gap hitter. I think as he matures and gets a little bigger and stronger, he'll start pulling the ball a little more."

Both showed their power on April 18 when they each hit a home run in the fifth inning against Punahou at DeSa Field to rally the Warriors.

Kamehameha was trailing 4-0 when leadoff man Duke stepped up to the plate in his right-handed stance and cranked a two-run shot to right-center on a 3-1 count.

When Bronson, or "Bully," as he is nicknamed, dug in left-handed with one out, he launched a 1-0 pitch over left center for a solo job.

Duke, who has just signed a letter of intent to join Dane at Pepperdine, is hitting .452 with six home runs (tops on the team) and 25 RBIs (tops on the team), while Bronson is hitting .450 with 16 RBIs.

Duke was named by his avid surfer dad, Dexter, for Duke Kahanamoku.

"It's a good feeling (to play with Duke) because I didn't get to play with any of them when I was younger," said Bronson.

Bronson Sardinha, named for his mother Darneen's favorite actor, Charles Bronson, is a little bigger than Dane was as a freshman but not as strong, according to Ramie.

"We have to get him in the weight room," he said. "But Bronson has a really good swing."

"Natural" is the word often used.

Assistant coach Rich Olson said Bronson knows how to go with a pitch.

On his best day, Bronson went 5-for-5 against University High/Hawaii Baptist.

"Bully might be the best of all of us," Dane from his college dorm yesterday. "And he'll probably be the biggest."

---

Older brother Dane
off to good start
at Pepperdine

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Dane Sardinha has been living up to his defensive expectations, showing some power and impressing teammates at Pepperdine University.

The 6-foot, 205-pound former Kamehameha star, who turned down a $750,000 signing bonus after being drafted 59th overall by the Kansas City Royals last June, has hit 13 homers and driven in 37 runs in 50 games for the Waves (30-20).

He is tied for the home run lead on the team and is second in doubles with 13.

He has a slugging percentage of .542, 109 total bases and has scored 42 runs.

Playing both his familiar position of catcher and filling in at second base every third game, Sardinha has a .970 fielding percentage.

"His arm is the best," said Sardinha's roommate, infielder Damon Katz, a sophomore. "He'll backhand the ball in the hole and throw a runner out by two feet."

Katz said that runners are quickly learning to fear Sardinha's gun when he's behind the plate.

"Even when runners take their normal lead, he'll pick them off," he said.

Sardinha was asked to fill in at second base when starting second baseman Ty Ferrer was injured in the Waves' opening series.

Coach Frank Sanchez said that dividing his playing time between catcher and second will keep Sardinha from wearing down. He said he noticed that happening when Sardinha was catching both ends of doubleheaders.

One statistic Sardinha wants to lower is his team-leading 44 strikeouts.