Pitchers Are Key In Continuing Chargers’ Stellar Season

Wednesday - February 27, 2008
By Jack Danilewicz
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS | Share Del.icio.us

Kahana Neal
Kahana Neal ready to let loose a pitch at practice. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

When it comes to team bonding, nothing draws a team closer together than a trip to an outer island. When the Pearl City baseball team competes in the Maui Invitational preseason baseball tournament this week, first-year coach Gary Nakamoto will also be looking to solidify his lineup.

“This is going to tell us who will play where (during the impending regular season),” said Nakamoto, whose team begins tournament play Thursday against Baldwin.“When we come back on Sunday, we’ll already have a (regular season) game to play.”

The battle for playing time has been ultra-competitive this pre-season.The Chargers are coming off a stellar 2007 campaign that saw them win their first OIA title since 1992 en route to a runner-up finish in the state tournament to four-time champion Punahou. Their riveting postseason run also allowed longtime coach Mel Seki to retire from coaching in style.


In addition to the change in leadership, the lineup will also have a far different look.All told, only four starters return to a roster that’s currently carrying 27 players.

“We have a lot of young talent, and we have some seniors who we know will do their jobs, but we’ll have to depend on our juniors a lot also,“said Nakamoto.“How well they develop is going to determine how well we do.

“Every year is a challenge.The key will be our pitching. If our pitching doesn’t come through, it will be a long road back to get there (title contention). Right now, that is the thing we have to work on. We only have two senior pitchers.”

With the JV baseball slate now played out earlier than the varsity, Nakamoto was able to bring up seven sophomores who recently completed their JV season.

“Some of the sophomores have thrown really well. Playing time has been limited for a lot of our kids because we have 27, and we’re trying to give everyone a chance. It would be hard to say who our No. 1 (pitcher) is right now. It’s (about) whoever can throw strikes that day.”

Although relatively young, he has four key seniors to build around in pitcher/first baseman Cory Yuh, pitcher/infielder/outfielder Bryson Nakamura, shortstop Ryno Acosta and center fielder Duane Kiyota.Yuh could be the opening day pitcher March 5 when they face Kapolei, according to Nakamoto.“He throws in the mid 80s, so he isn’t overpowering - we don’t have any overpowering pitchers this year - so he has to hit his spots. He was just a pitcher last year, but this year, we’ll use his bat as well. We’re banking on him.”

Like Yuh, Nakamura is also a left-hander. He brings championship-level experience, having been the winning pitcher in Pearl City’s win over Kailua in last year’s OIA title game. “He’s a crafty pitcher,” Nakamoto said. “He mixes up his pitches a lot and changes his speeds. He can hit his spots, but his biggest strength is his bat, his power.”

The coach is hoping Acosta can shake off injury issues and make an impact with the Chargers, meanwhile.

“He’s the leader of our team. He’s quiet, but he leads by the way he plays, always hustling. He’s only about 80 percent right now, but his bat was good last year and he’ll be a key for us.”

One of Pearl City’s losses to graduation was in center field with the departure of standout Rory Nakayama, but he’s confident Kiyota will fill the void.

“He’s having a great preseason - he’s the only one hitting the ball well,” Nakamoto said of Kiyota, who has moved into the lead-off spot in recent weeks.“In every (preseason) game,he’s been making contact,and he also has decent speed.”


Nakamoto is also high on junior catcher Carlton Tanabe, who started as a sophomore, and third baseman Bryson Namba, a junior who transferred from Damien in the off-season.

“Arm strength is his strength,“he said of Tanabe. “He’s a good-sized boy, and he’s strong. Batting-wise he has the power to put a few out.

“Bryson has power also,” he added of Namba,“and he has a good arm. We’d like to use him as a closer (short-term relief pitcher), since he has a lively arm, but we have to work with him because he hasn’t pitched for a long time.”

Offensively, Nakamoto is hoping for balance. “We have enough power to get some runs, but we’ll have to hit across the board to win. Playing good defense and being able to hit the ball will be a key. As with everyone else, pitching will be a key, too.”

Pearl City continues play in the Maui Invitational Friday and Saturday. The Chargers’ opponents for those days will be determined by Thursday’s results.

 

E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS

Most Recent Comment(s):

Posting a comment on MidWeek.com requires a free registration.

Username

Password

Auto Login

Forgot Password

Sign Up for MidWeek newsletter Times Supermarket
Foodland

 

 



Hawaii Luxury
Magazine


Tiare Asia and Alex Bing
were spotted at the Sugar Ray's Bar Lounge