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Before Kaimi Tulua arrived at Seaside High School (California), no softball player from the program had committed to a Division I school.

Tulua’s Spartans were a lower-division program in the Pacific Coast Athletic League. Tulua joined the school as a high-caliber travel-ball player among an inexperienced group. So, she became a do-it-all presence.

“She is so adaptable that you really could stick her anywhere,” Seaside head coach Jenelle Newman said of Tulua. “She has all of the tools.”

Tulua became Seaside’s first-ever D-I softball commit when she chose Syracuse in December 2022. However, the freshman’s job at SU is drastically different than in high school. She rarely needs to grab her glove or run the bases. Instead, she primarily stars as a pinch hitter in clutch situations.

Through 24 games, the freshman has seen just 34 at bats but is tied for second on SU with a .353 batting average, tallying 15 RBIs. While her limited usage is a major change from the volume she saw in high school, Tulua is embracing the role, providing the Orange with a spark off the bench.

“When (Tulua) starts to tap into how good she can be, she’s going to be one of the best hitters this program has seen in a while,” SU head coach Shannon Doepking said to The Newshouse following a 7-5 win over North Carolina on March 28.

Lily Zuckerman | Design Editor

Power has always been a part of Tulua’s game. Still, with the help of her personal hitting coach, Thomas Main, she focused on refining her swing by emphasizing contact and eliminating unnecessary movements. While some power hitters can be homer-or-bust, Main and Tulua worked on a two-strike approach where she’d spoil anything close to ensure a high batting average and few strikeouts.

By the time Tulua got to Seaside, she was already one of the best players in the area — a rare distinction for a program with few travel-ball athletes.

“I knew that (Seaside) was somewhere where I really had to step up,” Tulua said. “Instead of being that person, like, ‘Oh, I played travel ball, why am I here?’ I knew it was somewhere where I could help others fall in love with the sport even more, just as I did when I was a young girl.”

Tulua stuffed the stat sheet at Seaside, primarily at the plate. She won PCAL Offensive Player of the Year twice and earned All-Pacific Coast Athletic League divisional honors three times.

She was also used as a corner infielder and occasionally pitched. Newman said her quick hands, strong arm and intelligence on the basepaths helped her succeed in all roles.

Some of the situations Tulua was thrust into, particularly in the circle, were different from what she’d dealt with on her travel team, Suncats Jimenez. She played for Suncats Jimenez throughout high school, which had 15 college commits in the 2024 class. There, she settled into familiar positions at the corners and as a designated hitter.

Seaside, however, used her in any way it could.

“I was put into positions I wasn’t used to, but at the end of the day, I knew that me doing my part as a team member and as a leader really made others around me be happy to be on the field,” Tulua said.

Newman recalled once when Tulua got injured while playing for Seaside. Knowing the D-I trajectory she was on, Newman encouraged her to rest. But Tulua insisted on battling through because Seaside needed her.

“She’s one of those athletes who will literally just not stop,” Newman said. “She will want to run through a brick wall if it means winning a game.”

The summer following her junior year, Tulua went to a camp in Southern California hosted by Doepking. The two talked, and Syracuse contacted Tulua when the recruiting window opened in September 2022. She came to SU for a visit soon after and committed to the Orange in December.

The jump from Seaside to Syracuse was huge. SU often relies on small-ball and stealing bases, putting Tulua on the bench periodically. Tulua’s only showcased her bat, but she’s been as dangerous as advertised.

Angie Ramos (left) and Kaimi Tulua (right) celebrate when Syracuse hosted North Carolina on March 30. Leonardo Eriman | Asst. Video Editor

After picking up her first collegiate hit with a single in Syracuse’s 3-0 win over Tennessee Tech on Feb. 14, Tulua followed with the best stretch of her career thus far. Tulua went 2-for-3 with four RBIs in a 12-1 win over TTU, then mashed her first home run and drove in three runs in an 8-2 victory over Long Island a day later.

Tulua felt relieved after the series, a turning point following a preseason knee dislocation. Being over 2,500 miles from home and dealing with an injury while living alone felt like “the end of the world,” she said. Her early performances helped her settle in.

“Honestly, I did not think I could come back and perform like that,” Tulua said. “But at the end of the day, my name was called, and coach had given me an opportunity. I just knew that this is a moment where I can start off strong after facing an injury I thought I could never recover from.”

She’s taken advantage of similar opportunities since Atlantic Coast Conference play began. While she hasn’t started an ACC game, she’s become Syracuse’s No. 1 option when it needs a hit in a big spot.

She exemplified it best in the Orange’s series with North Carolina in late March. She pinch-hit once in each game — and delivered every time, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBIs. Her biggest swing came on March 28, when she roped a two-run double in SU’s 7-5 victory.

“She doesn’t really get too caught up in situations,” Main said. “She just can hit. She doesn’t get nervous. She doesn’t anticipate the result before it happens. She just goes and fights through the at-bat one pitch at a time.”

Tulua’s role at Syracuse is a far cry from Seaside. Though her role has been limited, her coaches believe she’ll soon emerge as an everyday contributor for the Orange.

“In the future, she’s going to be a starter at some point,” Main said. “And if she’s not, (Syracuse is) winning the national title because they must be really, really good. Her numbers are going to be unbelievable.”

Published on April 10, 2025 at 12:31 am
harrispemberton@gmail.com | @HarrisPemb6