Red Raiders catcher Skyler Sadora to play ball at Big Bend CC

LIHUE — Come fall, one of Kauai’s top hitters will take his game to the Pacific Northwest.

Kauai High graduate Skyler Sadora will play baseball at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Wash.

Sadora, 17, of Hanamaulu, received a full scholarship from Big Bend CC and intends to study kinesiology.

“I feel it. I want to go. I’m really looking forward to going,” Sadora said Friday.

Sadora led the Kauai Interscholastic Federation in hitting with a .514 batting average this past season, totaling 19 hits and 10 RBIs.

He was a four-year varsity player for Kauai High, was the starting catcher for three years and was a three-time KIF all-star.

“He’s a good one, a tough one. Very loyal to the team and the coaching staff,” said Hank Ibia, Kauai High School varsity baseball head coach. “A good teammate and good team player. Very good hitter, and also a good student in school. He’s very responsible.”

Ibia added that Sadora has a “beautiful swing.”

“I think his swing complements the base hits he has,” he said. “People swing a lot of different ways, but I think that swing that he has … he’s going to make contact more times than not. He’s pretty consistent touching the ball at all times.”

His crowning achievement as a Red Raider, Sadora said, was winning the Division II state championship in 2017.

“That was a really big moment for us,” Sadora said. “We were really young. People really didn’t believe in us. It was just, people didn’t think this was a bunch that would win a D2 state championship. Honesty, I didn’t think we would be D2 state champs.

“But we were close. We knew how to keep each other up, and we knew what we could do,” he continued. “The coaches let us play our game. They’d help us, but they didn’t scold us when we did anything wrong. So, it’s like they let the players play. We all came together because we were really close.”

Sadora visited Big Bend CC in December.

“From the get-go, you could tell he wasn’t a kid that’s reserved. His personality was very outgoing. You could almost see his smile through the phone,” said Jameson Lange, Big Bend CC baseball head coach, in a phone interview Friday. “I think he brings an energy level that’s very contagious with his teammates. Just for that, on the character and the personality side, we’re very excited.”

Sadora said he liked Moses Lake because of its similarities to Kauai.

“It’s really open. If you look out, you’ll see it’s really open,” he said. “It’s flat land. There’s a lot of lakes. Just like over here, you can fish. I was just really comfortable about that place.”

Lange said Sadora could be flexible enough that he could play multiple positions.

“I know his primary position is catcher, and that’s what we recruited him as. But I think he’s athletic enough and versatile enough to be a true utility guy. (He could be) a corner outfielder,” he said. “He’s not done growing yet. … I wouldn’t take away a corner position, third base or first base as well. But, primarily we recruited him behind the plate.”

Sadora will make the move to Washington state in September.

“Of course, we’ll have times when we miss home, especially the first few weeks I’m going to be there,” he said. “I’m a family guy. That’s going to be a really hard adjustment, that I’m not going to be here. … (I’m going to miss) everybody. My family. Everyone’s so close around here. That’s what I’m going to miss here, and the beaches.”

He added, “I thank everyone that’s helped me along this way. I thank the Lord for giving me this talent I’m blessed with, for giving me life on this Earth, and that I get to play some more baseball. I thank everyone — my mom, my dad and my girlfriend.”

•••

Taking your game to the college ranks? Share your story with us. Nick Celario, sports writer, can be reached at 245-0437 or ncelario@thegardenisland.com.