Even though Lucas Gushikuma said it wasn’t a big deal, his dad disagreed. “How many times do you get a chance to play in a major league stadium?” Ken Gushikuma said. Lucas recently received notice that he qualified for the
Even though Lucas Gushikuma said it wasn’t a big deal, his dad disagreed.
“How many times do you get a chance to play in a major league stadium?” Ken Gushikuma said.
Lucas recently received notice that he qualified for the Regional Pitch, Hit and Run competition for the western region.
“We got the FedEx the night before Da Bash II started,” Ken said. “I couldn’t fall asleep thinking about it.”
Gushikuma said his son was sick when he went to Maui to qualify for the regionals, but Lucas finished tops in his age group anyway, with a total of 705 points.
“He had over 900 points on Kaua‘i, but dropped 200 points on Maui,” his father said. “I didn’t think he was going to win.”
With the qualification, Lucas is eligible to compete in the regional competition in San Diego before the Mariners/Padres game on June 25.
Lucas will be going up against other regional qualifiers from Washington, Oregon and most of California.
“He’s the only one in his age group from Hawai‘i to qualify,” Ken said.
To get to San Diego, however, Ken said they need to come up with their own finances. Kids who qualify for nationals have their expenses covered, but not at regionals.
“If people want to contribute, they can make contributions to the Kaua‘i Police Activities League,” K-PAL director Mark Ozaki said.
K-PAL sponsors the Pass, Hit and Run competition on Kaua‘i, and Ozaki said his organization would be happy to help the Gushikuma family take the once-in-a-lifetime trip.
“If he didn’t qualify, Hawai‘i would have no representation at the regionals,” Ozaki said. “He’s a natural athlete.”
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
