Baldwin ranked third in latest state baseball poll

By Fred Guzman

It’s hardly surprising that Baldwin is enjoying such a high level of success in baseball this season. The Bears did reach the state Division-I championship game last year before suffering a lopsided loss to Punahou in the final.

Baldwin returns most of the key players from that runner-up team and is back on track for another run deep into the state tourney, compiling a 9-0 record in the MIL and being ranked third in the latest state-wide poll conducted by the Star-Advertiser.

Baldwin next faces second-place Kamehameha-Maui in a regular-season-ending series that begins Thursday at Iron Maehara Stadium. All three games will be broadcast on Maui’s ESPN 550.

Saint Louis is ranked No. 1, although the Crusaders suffered the first blemish on what had been a 14-0 record when they squandered a 5-1 lead and suffered an 8-7 loss last night to Punahou in a key ILH contest.

Kailua of the OIA is ranked second. Mid-Pacific of the ILH is fourth and Moanalua of the OIA is fifth.

Seabury Hall is tied for eighth in the latest volleyball rankings. The Spartans are the defending state D-II champs and are 6-1 going into Friday’s match against Lanai.

Punahou is No. 1, followed by Kamehameha-Kapalama, Iolani, Hawaii Baptist and Maryknoll. All five of those teams compete in the ILH.

The MIL has two softball teams in the Top Ten. Lahainaluna is ranked fifth while compiling a 10-1 record in the league. Baldwin, which is 9-3, is ranked ninth.

The Lunas visit Kamehameha-Maui today, while Baldwin is off this week.