Ex-reliever responds to starting call with victories
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Coming off two strong performances, UH senior right-hander Sean Yamashita will start tomorrow's game against Nevada.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser Hawai'i vs. Nevada WHEN: 6:35 p.m. today and tomorrow, 1:05 p.m. Saturday WHERE: Les Murakami Stadium TICKETS: $6 adults (blue or orange); $5 adults, $4 65 years and older, students ages 4-18, UH students with ID (red). |
Yamashita has taped Lane Nogawa's bat this season. Nogawa is batting .300 and just slugged his first career home run last week. Yesterday, Yamashita was working on Brent Cook's bat, already hot at .364.
But the biggest improvement Yamashita has brought to the Rainbows has been in the starting rotation. On Saturday, he pitched the team's first complete game of the season in a 7-2 win over UH-Hilo. In the process, the senior did what no other UH starter has done this season: win consecutive starts.
"We knew going into the tournament there were some guys who had to step up because we play so many games in so many days," UH pitching coach Chad Konishi said. "Sean stepped up for us."
Yamashita started the season as a reliever and spot starter. His season debut as a spot starter came March 26, the first day of the week-long Rainbow Easter Baseball Tournament. He pitched 6á innings, allowing a run and four hits in beating Birmingham-Southern, 2-1. With his two strong starts, Yamashita evened his record at 2-2 and lowered his earned run average to 3.96.
He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons primarily as a reliever. He made only one start as a freshman and did not start again until last year, when all 17 appearances he made were starts. He was 2-9 with a 5.50 ERA.
Although he admits he likes starting better, the 5-foot-8, 165-pound right-hander said he is satisfied as either a starter or reliever.
"It was just part of my role of being a spot starter," he said. "I was just fulfilling my part of the deal."
Yamashita said the psychologist who has been counseling the team the past week helped him put the game into perspective.
"If you go through a windup, it takes about three seconds," Yamashita said. "If you throw 120 pitches (during a game), that's 360 seconds. So you're only focusing for six minutes a game when you think about it. That's the approach I took ... If you can't concentrate for six minutes a game, it's going to be difficult."
At the outset, the coaches wanted Yamashita as a swing pitcher. He had command of his fastball, could throw his breaking pitches for strikes and had a decent changeup. But they noticed that last year Yamashita would get off to strong starts, but lose something about halfway through the game. So it was felt he would be effective once or twice around against a batting order.
"He's not big in stature, but he throws strikes, he's competitive and fields his position well," Konishi said. "That's the kind of guy you want to settle a game in the middle or at the end."
It didn't matter to Yamashita about his previous role as a reliever.
"As long as I get to play, it's not disappointing," he said. "I still get to play, right? I have no arguments with that."
Like a lot of kids, Yamashita played several sports as a youth, but settled on baseball in high school. An inkling that the game might take him beyond high school occurred when he made his Little League all-star team at age 11, he said.
For Yamashita, playing for the Rainbows is fulfilling a childhood dream. He recalls attending UH games as a kid and getting players' autographs. Today, he signs for the young fans.
"It's kind of like returning the favor," he said.
Yamashita enjoyed a highly successful high school career for the Pearl City Chargers. He was the only junior named to the 1997 Advertiser All-State team, which featured future pros like Dane Sardinha, Justin Wayne and Keoni DeRenne. Also on the team were present teammates Scooter Martines and Gregg Omori.
Yamashita received offers from UH, San Francisco and UH-Hilo. Konishi, then a San Francisco assistant, was on Yamashita's trail, but could not match UH's offer.
"We couldn't work the financials out," Konishi recalled. "But I'm so fortunate to have the opportunity to coach him now."
Yamashita will get his third start tomorrow against Nevada, as the Rainbows resume Western Athletic Conference play. Chris George (2-2, 5.17) will pitch tonight's opener. Freshman Ricky Bauer (1-3, 6.88) will start Saturday. They are all coming off strong outings.
Yamashita, a sociology major, said he will graduate either after the fall term or next spring. He is contemplating a career in law enforcement.
Until then, it's back to taping bats.
"I did Lane Nogawa's bat and he had a bunch of hits," said Yamashita, gripping one of Cook's bat. "(Cook) told me if I could retape it. It's just my gift or something."
Notes: Hawai'i is 12-20 overall and 1-5 in the WAC. Nevada (14-15, 2-4 WAC) is 5ý games behind conference leader Rice. The Wolf Pack lost two of three from WAC newcomer Louisiana Tech last weekend. The probable starters for Nevada are right-hander Darrell Rasner (4-3, 3.12), who has 63 strikeouts in 60á innings tonight, right-hander Mateo Miramontes (3-4, 5.23) tomorrow and right-hander James Holcomb (1-3, 3.72) Saturday. ... The Wolf Pack's leading hitters are first baseman JaRell McIntyre (.245, 2 HR, 16 RBI), shortstop Matt Maguire (.267, 22 RBI), catcher Craig Markel (.349, 3 HR, 20 RBI) and designated hitter Tony Cappuccili (.315, 4 HR, 11 RBI). ... This is the Rainbows' third-to-last homestand of the season. Fifteen of their final 24 games are on the road. After this weekend's series with the Wolf Pack, the Rainbows will play at Louisiana Tech (April 13-15) and at Rice (April 18-20).
