Sea Warriors
miffed by
NCAA II slight

By Jerry Campany
Special to the Star Bulletin

After enduring a losing season in his first year at the helm of the Hawaii Pacific baseball program four years ago, Allan Sato vowed never to put his players through the pain of a losing season again.

He found out Sunday that a winning season can hurt just as much.

The Hawaii Pacific baseball team turned in their uniforms yesterday after receiving word that they were not one of the four teams chosen to participate in the four-team NCAA II West regional.

"(Being snubbed) yesterday hurt more than any of the previous years," Sato said. "I let some bad attitudes go from last year and built a team on character and work ethic and I thought it worked. These kids did everything they could possibly do, and were snubbed."

The Sea Warriors were 32-12 this season and broke 18 school records and tied five more. But that is not what hurts. What hurts is the fact that Sonoma State got the call and they didn't. Hawaii Pacific beat the Cossacks in four of six games this year, had a better winning percentage and a tougher schedule, according to the formula that the NCAA uses to determine such things. But Sato is not one to hold a grudge.

"It seems that everything that was held against us was not held against Sonoma State," Sato said. "I hope they go on to win it all."

Adding to Hawaii Pacific's case was their 26-5 record against NCAA II teams and the six wins in 13 tries they amassed against Division I competition.

Sato has resigned himself to the fact that there is nothing he could do about it this year. But he immediately went to work finding players to replace the heart of his team - his six senior starters.

"What happened is an injustice to our kids," Sato said. "But it has still been a positive year"

Softball in regionals

The Hawaii Pacific softball team has earned the No. 1 seed in the NCAA II Western Regional after winning the Pacific West title against higher rated Humboldt State in Arcata, Calif. Sunday.

After losing the first game of a three-game series, the Sea Warriors settled down to take the next two on the strength of junior Susie Schoales' pitching.

The regionals will be a double-elimination tournament held at Davis, Calif., May 14-15.

Hawaii Pacific, 42-4-1, will open up against California State-Bakersfield. Humboldt State and UC-Davis round out the field. The winner of the tournament will advance to the NCAA II national tournament May 20 in Salem, Va.

Hawaii Pacific earned the top seed, but will play at Davis, Calif., rather than hosting because the privilege is a matter of convenience more than merit.

"It is all economics," Hawaii Pacific head coach Howard Okita said. "It makes a certain amount of sense to make one team pay for travel rather than three. When two or three Hawaii teams get in, we might be able to host."

As the top seed, the Sea Warriors are the team to beat in the regional, if they can set aside the rigors of being on the road. Hawaii Pacific drove 10 hours to reach Davis, and plan on staying away from home until they are eliminated, or come home national champions.

Hawaii Pacific is 6-1 against the other teams in the regional, including the two out of three they took from Humboldt State after being ranked one below them.

All the games will be broadcast live on KUMU2 AM 1500 for as long as the Sea Warriors advance.

Tennis on to nationals

Both the Hawaii Pacific men's and women's tennis teams earned trips to their respective national championship tournaments at Pensacola, Fla., May 13-16.

The Sea Warrior men advanced at the expense of Brigham Young-Hawaii, when they beat the Seasiders, 5-2, Saturday in Laie. Both teams were ranked in the top 10 in NCAA II.

The HPU women had a longer road to travel to the nationals, upsetting Cal State Bakersfield, 5-4, in Bakersfield.

By virtue of its ranking at the top of NCAA II, the BYU-Hawaii women's team skipped the regionals and will join Hawaii Pacific in the nationals.