Nothing promised, nothing given, absolute trust.

There was many a day when the young Buffanblu of Punahou took their lumps in treacherous ILH softball warfare. Coach Dave “Boy” Eldredge and his staff stood firm and gave a talented group of freshmen a chance on the varsity three years ago.

Lexi Hinahara could have played junior varsity softball, but was on the varsity roster with classmates Taryn Ho, Sydney Capello and Paige Brunn.

“I never said anything. One thing I was impressed about with her, she was a second-string catcher, yet every game she was losing her voice,” said Hinahara’s mother, Roanne. “I was, what is going on? She said, ‘If I’m going to be bench, I’m going to be the best bench.’ I really like that.”

Today, Punahou is ranked No. 4 in the Star-Advertiser Softball Top 10 with a 1-0 start in ILH play (7-1-1 overall). Punahou begins week two of the regular season at home against ‘Iolani on Wednesday. Hinahara is coming off a stellar season with the bat — .326 with 19 RBIs. Between her strong junior season and excellent performances on the road with her club team, LK Black, Idaho State was quick to offer Hinahara a scholarship.

In the eyes of longtime coach Eldredge, Hinahara has made a superb ascent accepting and embracing her role as a pitch caller.

“I’m just grateful that Coach Boy and the rest of our coaches, they really trust me. Trust definitely had to be earned. The early years of high school, I really struggled with that,” Hinahara said. “It’s something I didn’t want to do. I felt the pressure and I didn’t want to mess up. It took a lot of growing to accept the fact that mistakes are going to happen.”

Assistant coach Charlie Camello has played a key role, as well.

“I’m really grateful for Coach Charlie. He’s been helping me for years. Coach Boy, any time I have a question, they just explain to me and that helped me gain more confidence,” Hinahara said. “That confidence projects on to Paige and we both carry that with us.”

As a player, Eldredge converted from shortstop and first base to catching while playing for his uncle, Pal Eldredge, at Punahou. After a collegiate career at BYU, he has coached baseball, and now, softball for four decades. Putting the game in his catcher’s hands is a prime directive.

“It was a continuous process. Because I was a catcher and a coach, I feel I can call a game three feet behind the plate better than 60 feet away in the dugout. I know if I can teach a catcher to see and know the things I know, we’re better off,” he said.

When Eldredge flipped over from coaching baseball to softball, Janell Sato was his catcher. She was followed by Liana Heshiki, and Hinahara has been the one behind the mask for four years. Sato went on to play for Bates College (Maine) and Heshiki matriculated to Southern Nazarene (Okla.).

“The positive thing for Lexi is the pitcher she’s caught for six years is Paige Brunn. They’re both comfortable with each other. Even sophomore year we started to give her responsibilities there. When she was struggling we’d step in and help out. But last year, she really came into her own,” Eldredge said.

Hinahara’s mastery in the role of pitch caller and overall field general matters most to the Buffanblu, even if the rest of the world puts more emphasis on offensive statistics.

“For me, last year in the ILH, we were stacked with excellent catchers. Lexi started out hitting third for us. She kind of petered out in the last round. Looking at postseason honors, girls are hitting .400 and stuff,” Eldredge said. “The thing that was disappointing for me was I think overall defensively she was one of the best catchers in the state.”

Hinahara had a 3.7 grade-point average at Pearlridge Elementary School, transferred to Punahou before seventh grade, and kept that 3.7 going to this day.

“She came into our intermediate program. In general, it was just a good group of girls and she was a major part of it,” Eldredge recalled. “She was athletic and she understood the game. Any time you get a girl coming in with a little bit of experience, it’s a big plus now. Across the board, across the islands, the number of softball players is beginning to slowly diminish. It’s rewarding to have someone with experience coming in.”

In her freshman year, the Buffanblu went 5-6 in league play, losing to Kamehameha in the playoffs. Hinahara batted .278 in ILH play, a solid first year of varsity ball.

The 2022-23 squad, sparked by shortstop Shonty Passi (Utah), was competitive again, posting two wins over powerhouse Maryknoll. However, the Buffanblu were 0-3 against Kamehameha and 0-4 against ‘Iolani, including a season-ending 8-7 playoff loss to the Raiders.

Hinahara had a couple of two-hit games, including one against Kamehameha. On the whole, she struggled with her hitting as a sophomore (.196), but commanded the action from behind the plate, calling all the pitches for Brunn.

Last spring, the Buffanblu unleashed their power offensively and went 12-6 in the ILH. They were 2-1 against ‘Iolani and 2-1 against Kamehameha. They were on the verge of a state-tournament berth after edging Maryknoll in nine innings, 7-5. In their rematch for a berth, Maryknoll won, 8-5.

Hinahara’s relentless training in the batting cage at home, in the weight room and on the diamond came together as a junior. She batted .323 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. She also had an on-base percentage of .394.

The fuel has not stopped flowing even after signing with Idaho State. Punahou is bashing the softball and scoring 10 runs per game against what has been one of the toughest schedules in the state.

“We just want to make it the best season possible,” Hinahara said. “Make sure we collectively give our best effort to propel our team, whatever it takes. Freshman year, we just hoped for the best. This year, it’s now or never.”

With just five Division I teams, only two state-tourney berths are available to the ILH. Four of the five are in the Top 10, and the fifth, Mid-Pacific, is highly competitive.

Hinahara went 2-for-4 with a home run against MPI in Punahou’s league opener Friday while Brunn pitched four scoreless innings in a 13-1 win. Including nonconference games, Hinahara is batting .564 (22-for-39) with two homers, a slugging average of .846 and an on-base percentage of .844. In two matchups with No. 1 Mililani, she was 3-for-6.

Execution and composure, speed and power up and down the lineup. Ho has signed with Oregon. Li‘i Brown, Kealoha Cox and Capello bring discipline behind their big bats.

There is a tenacity behind Hinahara’s low-key, positive vibe. At 5 feet, 4 inches tall, she embraced every doubt along the way. She played baseball at 5, coached by her father, Clint Hinahara. She played right field, trying to keep up with boys.

“She really struggled playing with our older (baseball) team, but she really put in the work and dedication. She really didn’t like being behind,” he said.

By 10, she was beginning to dabble in softball. By 12 she made the full transition. The pitching machines — softball for Lexi and baseball for younger brother Max — were installed with batting cages at home. The softball field became a lab. She switched to third base and catcher.

“Once she was playing softball, I had no say in that. I was shocked, but she started enjoying it,” Clint Hinahara recalled. “Over the course of time, she became somebody who’s going to play at the next level.”

There is the occasional spot duty in the outfield during club tournaments on the continent, but Hinahara has essentially learned her craft on the job. Softball isn’t the only craft she is passionate about. She makes and sells 14-carat filled jewelry on Instagram (@lkh_jewelry).

“I enjoy making jewelry in my spare time with the shells I collect,” she said.

Her interest in seashells began years ago.

“Every time I’d go to the beach with my dad and brother, I’m too impatient for fishing, so I would wander on the beach picking shells up. Around COVID time, I thought of things I could do to occupy my time. Then it progressed. I kind of turned it into a business,” Hinahara said.

She took a jewelry class at school, and learned how to solder pieces together by watching YouTube videos.

“It definitely took a lot of practice, refining how things look. When I look back, it looked terrible. I soldered the joints of a wire together,” she said. “My teacher is very supportive. I was one of the vendors at our holiday craft fair and he bought earrings for his girlfriend. She liked it.”

Her hobby-turned-business is a godsend.

“That’s how I make all my spending money. I don’t ask for that from my parents. I try not to,” she said. “I paid for my prom, but they pay for my gas.”

Roanne Hinahara’s oldest child provided a full experience from the beginning.

“I was sick the whole time. I was throwing up every day. My OB said, good. Strong pregnancy. My doctor said, if you don’t stop, I’m going to give you home IV,” she recalled. “It lasted five months.”

After a four months without regurgitation, Lexi was born.

“My mom (Sue Okunami) was there so there were three of us. She was very helpful,” Roanne Hinahara said. “Lexi talked early. Her first word was probably, ‘Dada.’ She was smart. She memorized this book, every page, because we always read to her. What was the name of that book?”

Lexi Hinahara hasn’t forgotten.

“It had a spider in it. ‘Miss Spider’s Tea Party.’ I don’t know what happened, but the intelligence is not the same. I can remember stuff from when I was 3. Random stuff. I can’t remember math formulas,” she said.

Clint Hinahara is sometimes wowed by his daughter.

“Lexi has always pushed herself to accomplish anything she wants to. Most of all, she’s a truly humble person. A lot of it is self-taught, dedication, discipline. I’m truly blessed to have her as a daughter. I’m so proud of her,” he said. “I’m amazed at what a great young lady she has become.”

Q&A

Lexi Hinahara

Punahou softball • Senior

Dad builder

“I was super grateful that my dad took the time to build a batting cage for us. He bought some parts from an old shipyard and made sure we helped out with digging out the grass, putting in the gravel. We have one pitching machine for baseball and one for softball. I don’t know how much they cost. I just know it’s a lot.”

Top 3 movies/shows

1. “New Girl”

2. “Crazy Rich Asians”

3. “Rookie of the Year”

“ ‘New Girl’ was six or seven seasons. I’ve watched it multiple times. It’s like a comfort show. The humor of it is so unpredictable. I still laugh out loud at some of the things because it’s so random.”

Top 4 homemade food

1. Great-grandmother’s beef stew

2. Mom’s Japanese curry

3. Dad’s fried tako

4. Dad’s chicken fettuccine

“My great-grandma (Jeannette Watanabe) used to make it. Then my dad started making it more.”

Favorite athlete: Aly Kaneshiro.

“She’s a former catcher at Stanford. She was the first girl of Japanese descent I saw playing catcher at a Power 5 school. I really like the way she carries herself. She’s very calm, very confident in what she does. I feel like I portray that on the field, not really off the field.”

Funniest teammate: Sera Tokumaru.

“We have this inside joke. People always think we’re related or twins. One of our deans got us confused because we were in chapel. I had my phone on my lap and Sera was on the Big Island. She said, ‘Sera, put your phone away.’ We’ll get random people come up to us and say, ‘You’re twins, right?’ We just go along with it. She’s still my sister.”

Smartest teammate: Paige Brunn

“She has a good head on her shoulders. She’s a good student. We’ve been in the same class a couple times.”

GPA: 3.7

“That’s pretty much what I do. The senioritis really hit last semester. My classes are pretty easy this semester.”

Favorite teacher: Mrs. (Lynette) Horinouchi.

“She’s my advisor, all four years. I feel like I know her the best. I like how peppy she is, even on Mondays.”

Favorite class: Psychology

“That’s what I want to major in. I want to help people. It would give me purpose. I was thinking maybe something with sports psychology.”

Favorite motto/scripture: “Failure is inevitable, how you move forward from it is entirely within your control.”

Bucket list: Go sky diving.

“It just looks fun. I like big roller coasters. I don’t know what it’s called, but Knott’s Berry Farm has a scary one.”

Time machine: “I would go back to my childhood memories that I made with my cousins at my grandma’s house. I also thought about who shot Tupac or how did Princess Diana die. Or the Lost Colony, the people that came to the 13 colonies and one group of people disappeared.”

Youth sports: “I feel like playing baseball from a young age has influenced the way I play. I always felt like I had to prove myself since I wasn’t a boy and I maybe wasn’t as tall or strong. I think that mindset helped me in softball because I still had that drive to prove myself and be the best player I could be.”

If you could go back in time, what would you tell your younger self?

“I would tell my younger self to stop comparing yourself to others because everybody has their own journey. So embrace your own path.”

Shoutouts

“I’d like to thank my entire family for always loving and supporting me. Thank you to my parents for being supportive in every aspect of my life. This year hasn’t been easy and I want them to know that I still appreciate all the sacrifices they’ve made for my brother and I. I would also like to thank my grandparents who worked so hard so that my cousins and I could have access to opportunities that were unavailable to them. I’d like to thank all the coaches for my club team LK Black for believing in me and for helping me so much with the recruiting process and if not for them I wouldn’t have the opportunity to play at Idaho State next year. Lastly to my Punahou softball team and coaches, thank you for some of the best years of my life. I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to finish my senior year with. I love you all.”