Steve Bralver came to Hawai'i to play college baseball, but ended up finding paradise in ... Atlanta?

The native of Southern California accepted a scholarship to play at the University of Hawai'i out of Westlake High in 2004. Even his retired parents moved here in December of 2004. But Bralver redshirted his freshman year and played sparingly the next. Not happy with his situation, the first baseman transferred to Division III Emory University in Atlanta.

"It was one of the few doors that was open to me," Bralver said. "It was an excellent opportunity. It's an opportunity I am so blessed to have had."

Blessed he was. All he did was help the Eagles (43-10) have their finest season in the program's young history (1991) with a second-place finish in the NCAA Division II College World Series in Appleton, Wis. Emory went 4-2 in the double-elimination tournament before falling to Kean of New Jersey, 5-4, in 10 innings.

The sophomore outfielder/de-signated hitter batted .354 with four home runs and 33 RBI. He was one of four Eagles named to the World Series all-tournament team. He also was a first-team All-University Athletic Association first team DH. All this despite missing about 15 games with a finger injury.

"It was unbelievable," he said.

Besides UH, Bralver had been sought by Duke, Yale and Division III Pomona Pitzer. By the time he took the Hawai'i offer, Emory had approached him. Though it was too late for him, the Eagles did take some of his Westlake teammates. They were coincidently reunited in a summer league after his redshirt freshman year and was told he would like it at Emory. He left UH with mixed emotions.

"For the most part, it didn't seem to be the right fit," Bralver said of his reason for transferring. "But I had some wonderful experiences there that I'll never forget and that I will value and learn from and hold in my heart for the rest of my life."

The season he had was almost as it was a part of a script, which would seem appropriate being that his parents are retired from the Hollywood scene. His father, Bob, was a stuntman and his mother, Charlene, was a screen writer. (His father was the stunt driver of KITT in Knight Rider.) The younger Bralver appears to be following his parents' lead, as he is studying film. But before he tells someone else's story, he wants to finish his.

"Pro ball's on my mind," he said.

Bralver will finally get to play at home this summer for the Waimea Waves of the six-team Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League. He hopes to get in some time at first base, which he hopes to play when he returns to school. But mostly he just wants to enjoy the summer.

"When it comes down it, I want to have a lot of fun, just want to hit the ball hard and I want to go out there and smile," he said.

The HCBL will open its third season today with games at Central O'ahu Regional Park. Games will be played on Fields 1, 2 and 4 and all start at noon. The league was hoping to use Les Murakami Stadium, which is supposed to have its turf replaced before next season.

"Everybody needs to know that all those folks (the HCBL and Island Movers) were told before their season started that it didn't look like they were gonna be able to play at Les Murakami," UH athletics director Herman Frazier told The Advertiser in his Tuesday sessions with the media.

For the rest of the schedule, check the league's Web site: www.hawaii-cbl.com.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.