Chargers ‘Battle-tested’ Before Baseball Season Begins
By Jack Danilewicz
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The by-product of being the team-to-beat on every opponent’s schedule is the tendency to receive everyone’s best effort.
That’s fine with the Pearl City baseball team. To the man, they are battle-tested, given the amount of “big games"they’ve played to date. That was true by the time most varsity players even arrived on campus.
“Most of these kids have played in the big games, and it helps out a lot as far as them playing with composure,” Chargers coach Gary Nakamoto said. “Most of them went to a World Series in Little League and some in 2008 when they were freshmen or sophomores. It helps a lot.”
As does solid pitching. So seasoned is the current pitching staff that most of the names are as familiar to its opponents as they are to the daily followers of the program. Back for the 2010 season, which officially began over the weekend with a double-header against OIA foe Kapolei, are veterans Kahana Neal, Chase Numata,Royce Murai,Kawika Pruitt, Ed Izumigawa, Isaac Shim and Chevas Numata. Even the youngest on the pitching staff, sophomore Kawika Pruitt, plays beyond his years,having gotten the call in the biggest outing of last season: a quarterfinal game at the state tournament versus Punahou. Pearl City finished 16-2 last season and won a third straight OIA title.
“In high school, you have to have good pitching to keep the games close, or you could find yourself in a high-scoring game,” Nakamoto said.“Most of the staff returns - we lost only two - so we feel like we’ll have a good team.”
As he analyzes his pitching staff, which is tutored by mound mentor Sean Yamashita, there is much collective talent, albeit all right-handers.
“Kahana (Neal) has a lot of composure on the mound - he just keeps going, and he’s good all-around. Chase (Numata) has been clocked at 92 (miles-an-hour), and a lot of scouts have been coming to see him.He works hard,and he’s a good kid. Royce throws in the high 80s, and he’s good with the off-speed (pitches).
Kawika showed us plenty last year, and he has that year of (varsity) exposure now.
“Ed (Izumigawa) throws strikes; he’s going to start games. Isaac has a good change-up and a good fast ball. Chevas is following in Chase’s footsteps. He does his job, and we couldn’t ask for more.”
One change in the off-season saw Nakamoto rebuild his coaching staff, adding the services of Vince Farkas, Michael Higa and Wayde Murata.Among the staff’s priorities was a shift in its offensive philosophy. With the Chargers likely to be one of the best defensive teams around, their ability to create opportunities at the plate will figure big.
“We have some new young coaches, so hopefully they can relate well to the players,” Nakamoto said. “We’ve stressed more contact hitting instead of just the long ball. We’re making a lot of singles and doubles and putting the ball in play more. Hopefully, we can keep that up.We’d like to be more consistent as far as being disciplined with the bat.”
To that end, the weight room became a second home in the off-season.“They’ve all been bulking up and becoming stronger, and it’s showed.”
Speed also defines the current team. It is most noticeable in the outfield with seniors Jordan Oshiro,Austin Bali and exciting sophomore Tyler Tokunaga, who has settled in at the No. 2 spot in the batting order.
As in past years, the Chargers played some of the state’s best teams in a preseason that saw them go 13-0-1. Only a tie with Iolani kept them from a perfect 14 wins. Pearl City has a bye week and will return from a two-week layoff when the Chargers meet Leilehua at Fred Wright Park March 20.
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