Aloha Ka Punahou 2006.10
HALIME HITS TWO
then goes on tear
Stanley has walk-off hits in consecutive games
Niguel Halime
It took the FL's leading home run hitter of 2004 90 plate appearances before Niguel Halime
cranked one out for Hawai'i. In the top of the ninth with two outs, Halime hit a 2-0
pitch 376 feet off of Madison's Johhny Ginn. Ginn, who had struck out Johnson & Jowers just
before, lost his shut out and complete game. But Berrios struck out against Marco, who earned
his 26th save for the Wolves.
The hit, long anticipated by Hawaii fans, seem to catalyze Halime, as he returned to his new
O'ahu home and had three consecutive 2-hit games v Louisville, whom the Tropics swept.
In the 4th inning of Game 2 of that series, Halime blasted his second home run for Hawai'i,
and first before the home fans, 424 to center field scoring the game at 2. Two innings later,
Halime doubled home Lord Stanley and Dwayne Johnson after Johnson had been intentionally
walked with one out. Halime scored after another intentional walk, a force out, and an error.
"Yeah, it's sweet," Halime said of hitting a home run before the Hawaii fans. It was his 26th
of the season, and 2nd for the Tropics.
A day later he drove in two runners in the 3rd in a game that Hawai'i won in the 11th as Stanley
delivered his first of two straight walk-off hits. Berrios tied a Tropic record by doubling thrice.
Halime is now batting .263 for Hawai'i. With 20 rbis in 99 at bats.
"But perhaps more importantly," Al Chavez said, "He has a .360 on base percentage. And it's
great to have a hitter like Miguel at the plate after someone like Johnson gets walked intentionally."
"Niguel, not Miguel," said team spokesperson Stitch Lilo.
"Niguel? I thought it was Nigel," GM Al Hoot said.
"I tell y'all what, if he keeps ripping the ball, I don't care if his name is Nigel, Nancy, or Nincompoop..."
"As it happens," Lilo said, "Ni-kon-poo is Hawaiian for the one who creates thunders in the skies."
You're making that up, Chavez said.