Ex-MLB player Benny Agbayani and his daughters, Aleia and Ailana, are leading the way for ‘Iolani softball

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JAMM AQUINO / MARCH 7

Iolani shortstop Ailana Agbayani (1) makes contact against the Punahou Buffanblu during the fourth inning of an ILH softball game on Thursday, March 7, 2019 at Alawai Park in Moiliili.

It was a meaningless foul ball Saturday night, but one of Hawaii’s favorite sons showed he still has the wherewithal to flash the lightning reflexes that helped make him a major leaguer.

Benny Agbayani, now the ‘Iolani softball coach, was in the first-base box during the Raiders’ 8-3 victory over Mid-Pacific, and in a split-second, his hands darted about a foot to his left to stab a screaming waist-high liner.

Ability is one thing, but Agbayani’s two daughters (and their teammates) are grasping a lesson the coach learned a long time ago — that being good is just a start. It’s what you do to foster the talent that matters.

“I’ve learned from my dad that you always have to work hard because there’s always someone working harder than you,” ‘Iolani senior pitcher Aleia Agbayani said. “Don’t let down. Even if times are tough, you have to just push through it. He told me he was never the biggest guy and he really had to work to make it to the big leagues. He got past it. He got there.”

The Raiders, who are No. 4 in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Top 10, are responding to what coach Agbayani is teaching them. Two losses a few weeks ago didn’t put them in the gutter. Instead, they won five in a row, including a gritty comeback after spotting the Owls three runs on Saturday.

Aleia Agbayani is finishing her four-year career this season before heading off to play for Cal. This year, sister Ailana, a freshman, is the starting shortstop.

“Aleia has really matured a lot,” said the 47-year-old Benny Agbayani, who played in the majors from 1998 through 2002, mostly with the New York Mets, before continuing his career in Japan from 2004 through 2009. “She listens a lot and is sometimes hard-headed, but she knows her place. Her sister and brother (12-year-old Bruin) always tease her, calling her step-mom. She’s like a mother, making sure they do things right. Ailana is more of a go-getter. She’ll always be up for the challenge. If you are up for a challenge, she’ll challenge you.”

That could be why Ailana is the lead-off, make-it-happen batter. On Saturday, on many pitches in all of her at-bats, she was in a slapping or bunting posture and soon after a pitch went by, she would be about four or five steps toward the pitcher (it’s legal in softball to be in motion while trying to hit the ball). It was almost as if she was saying, “Here I come. Can you get me out?”

“I like to bunt to get on and I can slap,” she said. “I like to mess up the defense with that or hit it over their heads.”

Like Aleia, Ailana would like to play college ball, but is not sure if she will follow her sister to Cal if given the chance.

“I want to keep my options open,” Ailana said. “As a teammate, Aleia is a leader. As a sister, she’s like my role model.”

Both Agbayani girls can hit for power. Aleia tripled and homered in Saturday’s win.

“I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot more this year with my hitting and my pitching alongside it,” Aleia said. “Being a pitcher makes me a better hitter because I know what to do in certain situations. I know what to expect, what’s coming.”

Coach Agbayani didn’t know exactly what was coming when Aleia became a ballplayer.

“She was a right-handed batter and I tried to make her hit left-handed,” he said. “But she kept swinging right-handed and she threw left-handed. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ It was such a coincidence because growing up my idol was Rickey Henderson, so it was ‘Wow.’ I laughed about it and told my wife, ‘Look, Aleia turned to be just like Rickey Henderson.”

Interestingly, Ailana throws right and bats left.

“We’re opposites,” Ailana said.

It’s not just Benny who gave his kids the athletic genes. His wife, Niela (maiden name Guigui), was an All-State player from Waialua who went on to compete in college at Hawaii.

“Niela looks at all the small stuff, their technique,” he said. “I’m just the one who corrects them. We collaborate together and try to make them better players. My wife knows more about softball than I do.”

According to Aleia, brother Bruin — a baseball player — is the most athletic of the siblings.

“He’s kind of like our dad, but kind of his own person,” she said. “He’s really an outstanding kid. He’s a middle infielder mostly, but can play all over the field.”

One thing Aleia will remember about her time at ‘Iolani is the time the Cal coaches came to watch her in a game against Punahou’s D’Asha Saiki, who is also going to play for the Bears.

“It was kind of embarrassing,” she said. “We did equally bad against each other.”

Saiki and the Buffanblu were tied with the Raiders at 9-2 at the top of the ILH standings before winning Monday’s showdown at Punahou.

“We’re trying to get to the very top,” Aleia said.

“Our goal is to get to states and win the ILH championship,” Ailana said.

“It’s a great unit,” Benny Agbayani said. “But it’s a big process. Everybody’s got to know everybody. You’ve got to know everybody’s tendencies, what their capabilities are. I tell them that our six seniors are going to lead them and keep everybody up, that they’re going to make mistakes and they’re going to strike out. But if you have good leaders and good players, they will be supportive of each other and your team will be well off.”