Waianae softball expecting huge improvement this season

Stacy Kaneshiro | SL

WAIANAE - Waianae's softball team has a chance to make a big turnaround when the season starts this spring.

The Seariders, who tied for fifth in the six-team Division I Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division last season, will have at least three Division I-bound players. On Wednesday, National Letter of Intent signing day, catcher Braiesey Rosa, infielder Alize Tangaro-Smith and pitcher Jerzie Liana signed with their respective D1 schools. Rosa signed with Oregon, Tangaro-Smith with Jackson State and Liana, a transfer from Kapolei, signed with Cal State-Northridge. Liana was an All-Hawaii first-team selection last year, posting an 11-2 record with a 1.91 earned run average for the Hurricanes.

Though not enrolled yet, Maryknoll's All-Hawaii shortstop Nellian McEnroe-Marinas confirmed she will be transferring to Waianae in January. She signed with defending national champion Oklahoma, where another Hawaii star, Jocelyn Alo (Campbell), became the NCAA all-time home run leader with 122 this past season. She and Liana are from Waianae.

This was good news for Rosa, who suffered through last year's rough season, bating .233..

"Honestly, for me, I'm happy everybody's coming back for our last year and just playing together," said Rosa, who was recruited out of her California club team Firecrackers Brashear.

McEnroe-Marinas hit .571 with six home runs, 29 runs scored and 27 RBIs.

Tangaro-Smith played multiple positions last season because the Seariders had only 10 players. She said she also was recruited out of her mainland travel team.

The three softball players - Rosa, Liana and Tangaro-Smith, along with ScoringLive OIA Western Division girls volleyball first-team selection Haiti Tautuaa - were honored during lunch at their school. Tautuaa signed with Pittsburgh, which is ranked seventh nationally this week.

Disclosure: The writer also teaches at Waianae High.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].