(This column was published in HRC premium on Saturday, May 10.)

Takes awhile to get used to, this SpongeTurf (my nickname). The infield is no problem. In fact, a team like Saint Louis, which practices on a similar infield turf on campus, has zero errors in three games so far at Murakami. The Crusaders, in two ILH playoff games last week at Ala Wai, had 11 errors.

Simple to understand. However, the outfield is springy and, for newcomers, unpredictable. I saw three singles turn into doubles or triples during the first day-and-a-half of the state tourney. Two of them happened in the same game, which tells us that seeing isn't always believing. Outfielders have been repped to the max on their home fields -- almost exclusively natural grass -- and those reflexes don't change automatically overnight.

Saint Louis and Punahou are familiar enough with SpongeTurf now. I think the inside-the-park homer will happen during the D-II finals between St. Anthony and Kauai. I also think a play like that will be the deciding factor in what should a great pitchers' duel.

It's been a great tourney so far, but the best may be yet to come.

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