The Hawaii Pacific softball team is used to being the hunted rather than the hunter. HPU feels out of place
at third in the PacWestBy Brandon Lee
blee@starbulletin.comJust over halfway into their two-month conference schedule, however, the perennially postseason-bound Sea Warriors are the ones trying to catch up to the leaders of the Pacific West Conference.
At this point of the year, HPU usually has already distanced itself from the rest of the pack, one eye on the rearview mirror while the other glances forward to teams the Sea Warriors might play come postseason.
But this is not a typical year. A quality mainland team, steady improvement of another Hawaii school and a scheduling quirk have so far relegated HPU to third place in the conference standings. Representing the PacWest in regional play is far short of a guarantee.
"It's something different, it's just the way the schedule is set up," said coach Howard Okita, who has guided the Sea Warriors to the postseason in all eight of his previous seasons at the helm.
"(But) every team has gotten better," he added. "Everybody has good pitching staffs."
This year's conference schedule has each team playing 20 games, but HPU (18-7. 4-2 PacWest) has played only six so far, with 14 remaining for the final month.
The Sea Warriors have played the fewest conference games of any PacWest team to this point. By comparison, Western New Mexico (19-7, 10-2) and Hawaii-Hilo (24-9, 11-3 entering play yesterday) have completed over half of their schedules and are sitting in a statistical tie for first place.
Still, despite having played over a handful more contests each, both the Mustangs and Vulcans have also been winning most of these games. Western New Mexico has an identical loss total to HPU, but six more wins. Hilo has only one more loss than the Sea Warriors and seven more wins.
"(Western New Mexico and Hilo) are both real good teams," Okita said. "They both have good personnel.
"We played New Mexico in the (PacWest) playoffs last year and went down to them. And Hilo has a lot of talent, a lot of players who've been there for several years now. We knew they were going to be tough."
But Okita and his players also know they have opportunities ahead to catch up to the conference leaders. Winners of eight of its last nine games overall, Okita said his team is playing consistently well after sporadic performances early on.
HPU has a big chance to gain some ground on the conference leaders beginning today at Western New Mexico. The Sea Warriors play a doubleheader against the Mustangs today and tomorrow, before traveling to winless Montana State-Billings (0-12, 0-14) for twinbills Monday and Tuesday.
"(The Western New Mexico series) is kind of important," Okita said. "We can't get swept up there. If we get swept, then (our postseason chances are) probably over for us.
"We're playing in their territory, so we'll see what happens. Maybe we'll take all four games; maybe they'll win all four. That's how close I think the teams are this year."
HPU headed to nationals: Hawaii Pacific's dance and cheerleading squads will compete in national Division II competitions April 4-5 at Daytona Beach, Fla.
HPU received the two invitations after sending in a video for the bid competition.
A preliminary competition to determine seedings is April 4, and the final competition is April 5.
The event will be taped, then televised nationally by CBS on April 27 at 8 a.m. Hawaii time.
The squads leave for Florida on Tuesday night.
"We're really confident, we have a really young team," coach Ashley Edwards said. "Our biggest battle will be not to beat ourselves. If we just relax and have fun with our routine, I'm confident we can bring home a championship."