Posted on: Wednesday, August 6, 2003
Ex-MPI infielder Hanzawa signs with 'Bows
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Another Owl has flown the coop to the University of Hawai'i baseball team.
Troy Hanzawa, a 2003 Mid-Pacific Institute graduate, has signed to play for the Rainbows, UH announced yesterday. Hanzawa was an Interscholastic League of Honolulu all-star second-team shortstop who helped the Owls reach the state semifinals. He batted .323 this past season.
"It's great," Hanzawa said. "When I was a kid, (UH) was something I always looked up to."
Hanzawa said he can play shortstop, second base and third base.
"He's a good defensive player and he hustles," MPI coach Dunn Muramaru said. "He needs to get stronger, but he should be all right."
Hanzawa will be the fourth MPI player to join the Rainbows since Mike Trapasso took over as coach for the 2002 season. Trapasso's first recruit was pitcher Ricky Bauer (MPI 2001), who will be a junior this season. He then landed catcher Matt Inouye and second baseman Isaac Omura, both '02 MPI graduates. They were named to Collegiate Baseball's Freshman All-America team this past season.
Trapasso is expected to keep the pipeline flowing with MPI senior Harrison Kuroda, a right-handed pitcher who has verbally committed to UH. He is expected to sign a letter of intent in November.
Hanzawa provides insurance at shortstop, where senior Brian Finegan played all 56 games last season. The only projected backup was incoming junior college transfer Andrew Castillo.
"It's a situation where he gives us some versatility," Trapasso said of Hanzawa. "He can play every position and he's athletic."
Hanzawa has been the starting shortstop with the Island Movers this summer.
Hanzawa said he had already signed with Yavapai JC in Prescott, Ariz., before getting an offer from UH.
Finegan is still resting his aching elbow, which had been bothering him since the last month of the season. A magnetic resonance imaging from Dr. Lewis Yocum revealed no tear, he said. Finegan was told to rest his arm.
"No surgery is needed as of right now," Finegan said yesterday.
Finegan will return to UH on Aug. 23 and plans to have his elbow evaluated by UH physicians.
• McAngus to WSU: 2002 Kamehameha all-state third baseman Zach McAngus has signed with Washington State. McAngus withdrew from the Air Force Academy after his freshman season. Like Inouye and Omura, McAngus was a freshman All-American. His decision to leave the academy wasn't related to baseball.
"The cadet lifestyle wasn't for me," he said.
In 34 games, McAngus batted .331 with nine doubles, four home runs, 36 runs and 21 RBIs.
McAngus considered Pepperdine, but chose WSU because he wants to play in the Pac-10.
• Movers host tourney: The Island Movers will host the International Tournament starting tomorrow at Les Murakami Stadium. Joining the Movers are the O'ahu All-Stars, the Kyushu All-Stars and Tohoku Fukushi University.
