For first time, 4 ‘Maui boys’ playing on same Rainbow Warriors baseball team

Followers coming from Maui that tune in to University of Hawai'i baseball video games this time will definitely view some acquainted skins.

Ben Zeigler-Namoa will certainly reside in left field or even in the beginning foundation, with Konnor Palmeira responsible for home plate. Later on in the game, it is actually very probably relief pitcher Dylan Waite will be on the pile, after having been heated up in the bullpen by freshman catcher David Vergel de Dios.

For the very first time, four players from Maui are actually using the exact same Rainbow Enthusiasts baseball staff.

"It had not been on my bingo card," Zeigler-Namoa pointed out. "However ... it sort of places Maui on a stand, gets additional eyes on Maui baseball because I presume [the island has] several of the most effective baseball played in the nation."

UH baseball coach Rich Hill stated Thursday that the 4 Maui players all have good character.

"Apart from the baseball trait, these guys are actually terrific kids as well as it is actually noticeable their households have carried out an incredible job raising these kids because they came to me as remarkable people," he claimed. "I indicate, it's 'yes mam, no , thank you.' The gratefulness that comes through with these individuals everyday, it's only remarkable.

"The family name astride that jersey should stand up exceptionally glad."

Maui possessed an abundant background of delivering pitcher to the Educational institution of Hawai'i at Mānoa program for many years, along with players who featured standouts Kahai Shishido (previous baseball coach and also sports director at Baldwin High), Brady Perreira, Jon Viela (existing athletic supervisor at Kamehameha Schools Maui), Kelsey Isa as well as Scott Teruya.

But the Maui to Mānoa pipeline picked up 20 years, beginning in 2002, when Baldwin High School grad David Morita produced just one look on the mound for the Rainbow Enthusiasts. The last Maui player to be a regular for UH was actually Baldwin High's Jamie Aloy, who finished from UH in 2000 after a standout baseball occupation as a pitcher and also initial baseman.

The pipe was silent during the majority of the tenure of UH head coach Mike Trapasso, that's 20-year period finished after the 2021 season. Hill has actually opened it back up.

During this duration, nevertheless, the Rainbow Soldiers baseball crew carried out possess a couple of gamers that hailed from Maui Area. Lānaʻi High School grad Naighel Calderon, that dipped into UH coming from 2020-24, was the initial player from the Maui Interscholastic League to become portion of the program considering that Molokaʻi's Keahi Rawlins played there coming from 2003-07.

The two-decade drought for Maui isle gamers ended when Palmeira, a Kamehameha Schools Maui graduate, signed up with the Rainbow Fighters in 2021 as a fresher. In his first profession college at-bat, he struck a crowning achievement versus Arizona Condition.

During the course of his freshman season, he brought in 10 starts and also seemed in 21 video games. Yet he left behind the plan for Everett (Wash.) Neighborhood College in 2022 trying to find more playing opportunity. He transferred once more to bet Cal State Bakersfield the final two periods just before rounding out his college job at UH, coming back as a crew forerunner.

"I have actually only come cycle," Palmeira claimed.

As a freshman, he played throughout the COVID-19 pandemic when there were actually no fans, "therefore I failed to really come to experience it all. Now it is actually only electric. I'm so pleased to be home, near my family members, observing aged skins, only experiencing that Mānoa magic. It's fantastic."

He right now is actually signed up with at UH by Baldwin High School graduates as well as current college elders Zeigler-Namoa and also Waite, as well as Maui High's Vergel de Dios.

The Rainbow Fighters have actually got off to a very hot 7-1 begin getting into Friday's activity against Northeastern College.

Palmeira has played in seven activities, beginning five, as well as striking.250 with a dual and also 4 runs baseball batted in.

Zeigler-Namoa has started the 1st eight video games along with a. 346 batting average, a dual, home run as well as 5 RBIs.

Zeigler-Namoa mentioned being among four "Maui children" has actually been actually an unpredicted bonus of what is actually most likely his final time in Mānoa.

Ziegler-Namoa, a left-hander, was a Cape Cod Organization All-Star over the summer season as well as can return following time because of a current courtroom ruling enabling NCAA sportsmens to certainly not await younger college seasons against their qualifications. He began his university profession at Yavapai College in Arizona in 2022 before making the Huge West Conference Commissioner's Honor Roll each of the past pair of seasons.

"This group has as a lot potential as any type of group I have actually been actually about," Zeigler-Namoa pointed out. "It is actually a various vibrant than in 2013's staff and also the teams prior to. It's just an extremely scrappy ball club, it is actually super fun to enjoy with. ... It is actually absolutely a crew worth checking out."

In the season opener, UH racked up 3 runs in all-time low of the ninth to walk off with a 9-8 victory over Marshall. Waite got the gain having pitched the final out in the best of the 9th inning. Waite is provided as an elderly, however the left-hander likewise has the possibility to return next time after investing the first two times of his college job at Clark University in Washington.

"I didn't expect to play with 3 other Maui kids, however our team are actually all having a blast below," Waite mentioned.

Waite and Zeigler-Namoa are flatmates for the 2nd direct season. They hung out together on the 2020 as well as 2021 Baldwin teams that were actually rejected full seasons as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and their bond is just one of the closest on the UH crew.

"I possess miraculous regard for (Zeigler-Namoa)," Waite said. "He has impacted my life a lot, he has actually sympathized me with the highs as well as the lows."

Vergel de Dios has deficient into a game with the very first pair of full weeks of the period, but he was actually informed to heat up to become all set to soothe Palmeira behind the plate in the time opener against Marshall prior to the video game finished in walk-off style. His allies lovingly aggravate him concerning being a member of the co-state champions from Maui High, that shared the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA state baseball championship along with Baldwin final season.

"They all mention howzit going 'Mr. Co-State Champ?" Vergel de Dios pointed out. "Yet being listed here is unique just about. Growing up and finding people use that tapa 'H,' it is actually insane that I am actually doing it now."

He is actually learning from the triad of more mature players coming from his home island. His closet is next to Zeigler-Namoa's.

"Those individuals resemble big brothers to me," Vergel de Dios claimed.