HANAPEPE — Four sets of father-son pitching/catching duos opened the 37th annual Hawai‘i State Senior Softball Tournament at Hanapepe Stadium complex Tuesday as softballs filled the air. Pat Baniaga, the Kaua‘i Senior Softball Association league coordinator, said a record number
HANAPEPE — Four sets of father-son pitching/catching duos opened the 37th annual Hawai‘i State Senior Softball Tournament at Hanapepe Stadium complex Tuesday as softballs filled the air.
Pat Baniaga, the Kaua‘i Senior Softball Association league coordinator, said a record number of 53 teams will be playing through the championship games Thursday on six fields at Hanapepe Stadium and one at ‘Ele‘ele Ball Park.
Kaua‘i is fielding eight teams in the state tournament, O‘ahu is fielding 14 teams, Maui is fielding 10 teams, including Harley’s Dragons with Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa on the team roster, and the Big Island is fielding 21 teams.
“We had traffic last night, which delayed some people from the coaches’ meeting at the Lihu‘e Neighborhood Center, and this morning there was rain,” Baniaga said.
The start was delayed slightly as the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation scrambled to get power to the field on the heels of morning showers, an event hailed by emcee Dickie Chang as other parts of the states are in drought conditions.
“If you’re going up there, you can follow me,” volunteered Stephen Fujii of Kawaihau, who drew the ‘Ele‘ele Field 10 a.m. game Tuesday.
Teams will be participating in pool play on Tuesday and today with the finals being set for Thursday.
The public is invited to take in the tournament at no charge, and there is a food booth available as well as tournament wear and programs for souvenirs.
Games start at 9 a.m. with the championship games scheduled to start at 12:45 p.m. Thursday.
The Kaua‘i senior league was started in 1968 with four teams, which grew to eight teams including the Lihu‘e A’s, winning this year’s league play with a 19-2 record, East Kaua‘i, the Rookies, Kawaihau, Hanama‘ulu Hillsiders, West Kaua‘i, ‘Ohana and Kuku’s Aces.
Dwight Fujii, player-coach for the Lihu‘e A’s, is the president of the Kaua‘i Senior Softball Association. Pancho DeCosta is vice president, Peter Rayno Jr. is secretary, Fujii is treasurer and Baniaga is league coordinator.
