Errors. An often overlooked statistic amongst much more flashy and headline-grabbing counterparts, but the numbers clearly trend to suggest a direct relation to winning and error-free play on the diamond.

At the time of this posting, 6 of 8 Division I baseball and softball league leading teams were ranked in the top 6 in terms of least recorded errors in regular season play.

Only one baseball team, Waiakea, ranked in the top 5 in terms of run production with 77. OIA-leading Campbell and ILH D1 leader Saint Louis sat 9th in scoring with 72 runs each.

In contrast, amongst softball division leaders, offense production seems to dictate win production a bit more than in baseball, at least as far as the data suggests. Red East leader Moanalua ranked 2nd in run production with 191, and Red West leader Mililani assumed the fifth position (102). ILH D1 leaders Kamehameha and Maryknoll ranked third (108) and fourth (107) respectively, with Mid-Pacific close behind at 100 runs scored.

Using last year's numbers as a reference, eventual Division I baseball state champions Mid-Pacific and softball title winner Punahou, finished with 11 and 21 errors respectively at year's end, easily placing them in the top 3 in the category. The Owls' 11 errors over 20 games was 7 better than the second place Kaiser (18) with 5 more games played, and 107 runs scored in 20 games certainly helped. As for the Buffanblu girls, they plated 128 runs in 22 games en route to its schools' first ever yellow ball crown.

Some baseball tidbits to note:

Maui and Baldwin top the list with the Sabers (4) and Bears (6) accounting for just 10 combined errors in 20 games played.

Mililani has only scored 28 runs this year, but has also committed just 13 errrors, good for 9th best in the state.

Kamehameha-Kapalama has 16 errors on the year (12th) but leads the state in runs scored (90).

Like KS-Kapalama, Kaiser, is ranked near the middle of the pack in errors committed (18) but ranks 3rd in run production (82).

Waipahu sits in 2nd place in the Red West, but has committed 11 of its 18 errors this season en route to losing 3 of its last 4 games.

Pearl City (31 runs, 37 errors) and Kalaheo (38 runs, 39 errors) have more errors commited than runs scored in league play.

Pac-Five (29 errors) and Punahou (28 errors) have a combined three wins between them in ILH play.

And a few softball observations:

Red East 2nd place Kaiser has 13 errors on the year, but has crossed home plate 213 times (1st).

Kapolei ranks 5th in errors (7) and 14th in scoring (77) with just one error committed in its last 5 games (4 wins).

Waipahu has more errors (24) than runs scored (20) in Red West play.

Of Punahou's 29 errors, 18 of them were committed in the teams' 6 losses.

What does all of this mean? Not much other than some food for thought. In terms of crystal balling contenders, I guess I can offer a few.

On the baseball side, probable MIL reps Maui and Baldwin certainly can make a case with their error-free play thus far, but it remains to see how the level of play on the Friendly Isle. Mid-Pacific's 11 total errors through 15 ILH games is impressive, as is the Sabers 11 in the rugged OIA Red West. If Waiakea can play solid defense as they have been (12 errors in 9 games) coupled with the pitching prowess of Kodi Medeiros, and a few timely base hits, anything can happen.

Softball is a bit trickier, but I think the recent surge in solid play by Kapolei bodes well for the Hurricanes, at the very least as a darkhorse of sorts. Moanalua (7 errors and 191 runs scored) is a clear contender, as is West leader Mililani (10 errors, 102 runs), and the ILH's "Big Three" of Maryknoll (11 errors, 107 runs), Mid-Pacific (18 errors, 100 runs) and Kamehameha (19 errors, 108 runs). Kaiser's bats (213 runs) and solid defense (13 errors) make it a team to watch as well.

Diamond sports however, are all about stats while at the same time often throwing all of the numbers out the window an instant later.

That's why they play the games, I suppose.