The 24th annual Stanley Costales Sr. Memorial Baseball Tournament had greater significance than previous editions because Royden Okunami, known as “The Voice of the Vikings” was honored on Thursday night at Wong Stadium.
The 24th annual Stanley Costales Sr. Memorial Baseball Tournament had greater significance than previous editions because Royden Okunami, known as “The Voice of the Vikings” was honored on Thursday night at Wong Stadium.
Before host Hilo’s nightcap game against Waipahu, the school and tournament committee paid tribute to Okunami, who is retiring after 38 years of announcing Viking football, basketball, and baseball games, as the 2017 Viking Sportsperson of the Year.
In first-round games, Kamehameha beat Konawaena 9-3, Waiakea defeated Leilehua 3-2, and the Vikings topped the Marauders 10-0.
Kamehameha will start sophomore ace left-hander Tai Atkins against Waiakea at 4:30 p.m. Friday. Atkins recently gave a verbal commit to a full-ride scholarship to UH-Manoa, which offered him after his freshman season.
The Costales/Hilo High tourney marked the debut of the mandatory pitch count under the National Federation of State High School Associations, which implemented the ruling last July.
Here is a brief rundown on the pitch count rules:
• For pitch counts of 35 and under, a pitcher can pitch on consecutive days.
• For pitch counts of 36 to 60 pitches, a pitcher is required to rest one day.
• For pitch counts of 61 to 85 pitches, a pitcher is required to rest two consecutive days.
• For pitch counts of 86 or more, a pitchers is required to rest three consecutive days.
• The maximum pitch count is 110 pitches, and the ruling applies to consecutive days.
For example, if a pitcher throws 35 pitches on Thursday, then throws one pitch on Friday, that total is 36 pitches and falls into a one-day rest period. That pitcher would be mandated to rest on Saturday.
Previously, high school teams fell under the HHSAA umbrella: In a four-day tournament, a pitcher may pitch a maximum of 48 outs but no more than 39 outs over three consecutive days.
Viking voice
Okunami, who is in his last year of announcing Viking sports, was also a Hilo boys basketball assistant coach when the Vikings won the HHSAA championship in 2000, the school’s last title.
He has been responsible for the scorekeepers, announcing and emceeing numerous Viking sporting events. In 2007, Okunami was selected as the Outstanding Viking Baseball Sportsman.
Okunami has spent the bulk of his life giving back to the community. He has over 50 years with youth organizations. He has coached and organized baseball for over 15 years and has coached for the Kaumana-Ainako Twins, AJA Baseball, and other organizations. He is currently the Hawaii AJA Memorial Baseball League president.
Okunami and his wife Sue have three children, Scott, Peter, and Roanne, who all attended Hilo High.
“I always emphasize teaching athletes life lessons through sports so they will be prepared for their lives and their own families,” Okunami said. “Being on time, having good practice habits and social skills, and developing properly, mentally and physically are more important than wins and losses.”
Okunami has been known for greeting others with a friendly handshake and warm words. On a Thursday night with no rain and nostalgia in the air, The Voice of the Vikings, called Hilo High’s Vin Scully by some, was honored for his character and compassion, lifetime trademarks of the 2017 Vikings Sportsperson of the Year.
Pitch counts
BIIF baseball coordinator Tom Correa thinks the new pitch count rules will protect pitchers and lead to aggressive pitching, with maybe fewer walks.
“You won’t have a lot of nibbling with two strikes because now no one wants to waste pitches,” he said.
Kamehameha coach Andy Correa had a bit of concern about pitching changes draining day light hours. He noted if both teams pull pitchers during innings that could easily add 15 to 30 minutes, with eight warm-up pitches for each new pitcher, to a game.
For some of the smaller schools, their pitching depth might get stretched thin. On the flip side of the coin, that will likely increase playing time for bench players, who would be invaluable if they can throw an inning or two or three.
In 2010, Punahou won the Division I state championship, relying on Zach Muenster, who threw 16 innings over four days. High school games are seven innings or five or six frames with a TKO mercy rule of 10 runs.
In a 13-0 first-round win over Mililani, Muenster started and pitched three innings for the unseeded Buffanblu.
The following day in the quarterfinals, Muenster pitched six innings in an 8-1 victory over No. 1 seed Pearl City.
Muenster didn’t pitch in the semifinals, a 4-1 win over Mid-Pacific, his only day of rest.
In the championship at Iron Maehara Stadium on Maui, Muenster pitched five innings in a 13-2 TKO five-inning win over Baldwin for the state title.
It’s pitching performance that won’t happen again under the new nationwide pitching regulations, at least under the current HHSAA format for Division I (four days and 12 teams) and Division II (three days and eight teams).
“I think you’re going to see baseball state regionals like soccer and basketball,” Kamehameha coach Andy Correa said. “Then a team’s ace could throw over two weekends.”
For a few of the BIIF’s bigger games, such as Hilo against Waiakea on March 22, that showdown will be played at Wong Stadium, where there are lights and no worries about the daylight fading too fast.
Friday
Hawaii Prep vs. Kealakehe, 9 a.m.
Konawaena vs. Leilehua, 11:30 a.m.
Waipahuloser vs. HPA-Kealakehe loser, 2 p.m.
Kamehameha-Hawaii vs. Waiakea, 4:30 p.m.
Hilo winner vs. HPA-Kealakehe winner, 7 p.m.
Saturday
Seventh place, 8 a.m.
Fifth place, 10:30 a.m.
Third place, 1 p.m.
Final, 3:30 p.m.