Kea Yamaguchi, Justina Kahaku, Marie Jackson and April Crowell play their final home games with the Wahine softball team this weekend.
Rainbow Wahine
win at friendship
Their personalities are as distinct and vibrant as the colors of a rainbow.
Captain Marie Jackson is the nurturer, the green thumb most capable and desirous of tending to her teammates. Justina Kahaku is the fireball with infectious energy. She is the silly entertainer in the outfield who sings to herself and predicts what pitches Wahine hurlers will throw.
April Crowell and Kea Yamaguchi are the mischievous ones. Despite quiet mannerisms, they are most likely to initiate water fights.
Latech at Hawaii
When: Today, 5 p.m. doubleheader; tomorrow, 3 p.m. doubleheaderWhere: Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium
TV & radio: none
Tickets: Free, first 500 tomorrow receive free team photos
Parking: $3
There is no superstar among them, but the senior class of the Rainbow Wahine softball team has contributed in ways not charted by statistics.
"It's been awhile since we have had such different personalities," UH assistant coach Dee Wisneski said. "Most of all I think they try to bring the positive attitude. They know if they didn't do their job. They try to be positive. They try to not be negative."
There are a lot of negatives in a losing season. These seniors know they won't be going to the postseason for the third time in four years. This is not the year any of them asked for, but all are still hopeful of going out on a winning note.
"I've learned more in this year than I've learned the whole three years I've been here," said Jackson, who will transfer to Hawaii Pacific next year to complete her nursing degree. "The things I'm good at. The things that I need to work on.
"I never thought this game could affect me like it did. It would be a great achievement if we could win our last eight games."
It's not an impossible goal, but the room for error will be slim. The Rainbow Wahine (24-29, 6-10 Western Athletic Conference) need to win seven of the eight to finish with a winning record. They are sixth in the conference standings, just six games ahead of last-place Texas-El Paso, which is fielding a Division I softball team for the first time.
Hawaii wraps up its home season with doubleheaders against Louisiana Tech today and tomorrow. The Rainbow Wahine conclude the season at San Jose State next week.
Hawaii doesn't have the same hitting or pitching of a year ago. The Wahine dropped seven of eight last week on the road. This group is not particularly talented but has gotten by on sticking together despite a rocky season that fell well short of expectations.
"This team gets along so well. They're like sisters on and off the field," Wisneski said. "That's what keeps them together.
Jackson helped patch up the rough spots. She is the supportive one who always tries to pick up a struggling teammate. Asked to recall an individual moment that stood out in her career and it is Kahaku who has the prompt reply.
"Marie once had a grand slam home run," Kahaku said. "That was awesome."
Kahaku has always been the vocal supporter and the team workhorse. The Canyon Country (Calif.) graduate started 117 games and played with a torn right anterior cruciate ligament for the last year. She'll have surgery this summer to repair it.
"Justina is the peppy cheerleader," Wisneski said. "She's like the Energizer bunny, never stops. She works hard, practices hard. ... She's the energetic person, never lets down. Justina just works, whether she's hurt or not."
THERE HAVEN'T been many glorious moments for Yamaguchi, who hasn't had much playing time since transferring from Pacific four years ago. But one hit stands out. She lofted a 2-2 pitch over the wall to help Hawaii beat the College of Charleston 5-4.
"That was one of the biggest hits in my college career. Just to come in and hit a home run," said the Castle alum, whose twin sister, Aloha, played for the Tigers.
Home runs have come more often for Crowell. The Roosevelt graduate played in 225 games and is fourth in the UH record books with 19 homers. She blasted 11 last year to be among the single-season leaders.
But her bat, "Excalibur," has been hot and cold this season. She is 25 points below her .290 average of a year ago. Crowell knows she hasn't shouldered the load as much as she should have.
"I wish I did better this year," Crowell said. "I wish we all did better this year so we could go out with a winning record."
There haven't been as many wins this year, but there have been as many laughs.
None of the seniors would have missed watching pitcher Shannon Tabion and junior Stacey Ritter battle each other in an eating contest on the road at Wendy's. Tabion won by polishing off 35 chicken chunks and seven cheeseburgers. Ritter's numbers (30 chicken chunks, three cheeseburgers) were pretty impressive as well.
"This is a funny class," said Yamaguchi. "We all have our jokes and laugh at each other."
Porter named to Australian Olympic team: Stacey Porter was named yesterday to the 2004 Australian Olympic Team. Porter, who took the 2004 season off at UH, plans to return to Manoa in the spring of 2005 for her senior year of eligibility.
Also on Australia's 15-player team is former UH left-hander Brooke Wilkins (1994-95).
