Samoa Bowl IX makes history adding baseball to roster of events

Isaiah Kiner-Falefa of Honolulu, Hawaii making a base hit for Team USA, during their game against Team Samoa yesterday morning at the Tony Solaita Baseball field in Samoa Bowl IX competition. This is the first year baseball is part of the Samoa Bowl, and for this game, Team USA was able to take the win by a score of 16-1 in 7 innings. [photo: Jeff Hayner]

Samoa Bowl IX made history this year by adding baseball to its events with teams from the United States and Samoa to compete and train with the American Samoa National Baseball team. This past Wednesday, the first game was played that saw Team USA going against Team American Samoa. Unfortunately for both of these teams, due to heavy rain, the game was called to a halt after 6 complete innings of a 7 inning game, with Team USA ahead by a score of 8-1.

Yesterday morning saw the young men from Team USA do it once again as they defeated the boys from Team Samoa by a score of 16-1, mainly thanks to the pitching of Brandon T.K. Medeiros of Honolulu, Hawaii who had 13 strike outs keeping the Samoan team in check.

“Right now everyone is doing a great job in these games and clinics. Everyone is getting along great and learning from one another,” said President of the American Samoa Baseball Association (ASBA) Victor Langkilde. “I want to say thank you to all of the teams and coaches and the Department of Parks and Recreation Director Samana Semo Ve’ave’a, his staff and all of the volunteers who have helped out and are helping out at this time,” said Langkilde.

Not only are baseball games and clinics happening during this Samoa Bowl IX, there are also softball clinics being conducted at the Tony Solaita Baseball field as well, with the Ricketts sisters here conducting softball clinics during this Samoa Bowl. The Ricketts are well known in the world of softball at the collegiate, national and professional levels.