Pitcher Lends A Hand To Marauders’ Undefeated Season
By Jack Danilewicz
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For the ace on the Marauders’ 2010 pitching staff, Drake Yoshioka remembers learning as much from watching as playing.
“I had to grow into it (baseball),” he said.“I wasn’t really very good when I was young. I would watch the older boys, and I used to tell myself,‘I want to be that good when I get older.’ I would say that my first year of Bronco (level in Little League).
“The first time I ever made an All-Star team (was the turning point),” he added,“I thought I had to work harder and push harder.”
Of all the signs that he looked to as validation, none was bigger than in spring 2009 when he made Waipahu’s varsity roster. They had a solid team that year and won their second straight OIA Division II title.
“I thought I would have to be on the JV team my first year,“he said.“They had a lot of good players. I was happy I even got on the team. Then I got a chance to start.”
Yoshioka is a major contributor to date this year, his sophomore season. Gone are long-time mainstays Triton Gante, Kaimi Haina and Ignatius Mackenzie, who seemed to wear the school uniform forever. Yoshioka now finds himself the ace on the pitching staff in only his second year with the program.
So far, he has blossomed on a team that was 8-0 heading into last weekend. On March 10, in Waipahu’s season opener,Yoshioka threw a one-hitter versus Kahuku in a 5-1 win. He also won his other two starts, 24-2 against Waialua March 17, and last Wednesday when Waipahu defeated Kaimuki 11-8.
In anticipation of expanding his role this season, Yoshioka finished last summer with work well done and also played in the fall.
“This past year, I had to work on everything,” admitted Yoshioka, an infielder when not on the mound. “I knew I would be the (pitching) ace, so I knew I had to be smoother and more effective.”
Yoshioka also played on the Hawaii Rockies, a traveling All-Star team, to log more innings. When in season, baseball is an all-consuming venture, he said.
“For me, baseball is a passion. I try to work really hard every time I’m on the field. I like to go out and have fun, but when it’s baseball season,
it’s all business, all baseball. I don’t want to mess up everything I have worked for.”
Drake didn’t look too far from home to find role models. His father was MVP at Kauai High School in the ‘80s.
“I use my dad (Dwayne) and grandmother (Irene) as inspiration to keep me going,” he said.“With all they do for me, I have to push harder for them. I want to make it in college and to the pros so I can support them like they’ve supported me.”
Yoshioka’s grandmother lives on Kauai but visits Honolulu frequently. She made it to Oahu for both the OIA tournament and the state tournament last spring.
He also found a mentor in Mackenzie, who is currently a freshman at Indiana Tech.
“I keep in touch with him - we call or text each other,” Yoshioka said. “He always worked hard, even when he was hurt. He had a bad shoulder, and his legs were bothering him last year, but he was still doing his part to help the team.”
Yoshioka and Waipahu return to action at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at home versus Radford.
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