Mid-Pacific pitcher Kuroda commits to Rainbows
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Mid-Pacific Institute baseball pipeline continues to flow players into the University of Hawai'i.
Senior-to-be Harrison Kuroda, an Interscholastic League of Honolulu first-team all-star pitcher last season, said yesterday he has verbally committed to play for the Rainbows.
The 5-foot-8, 185-pound right-hander is UH's fourth Owl recruit in coach Mike Trapasso's tenure since taking over the program in the summer of 2001. Trapasso's first recruit was pitcher Ricky Bauer. The following year, Trapasso signed second baseman Isaac Omura and catcher Matt Inouye.
"It's been a dream of mine for a long time," said Kuroda, pitching for the Mid-Pacific American Legion team this summer. "I've always wanted to play (at UH) since I was a kid. I'm glad to have the opportunity to play at the next level and I'm glad (assistant) coach (Chad) Konishi and Coach Trapasso have faith in me to play at the next level."
Kuroda was 7-5 with a 2.71 earned run average as a junior. In 72 innings, he struck out 68 and walked 25. He went 1-1 with one save in the state high school tournament on Maui in May. At one stretch, he pitched 11 consecutive scoreless innings.
As a sophomore Kuroda played a pivotal role in the Owls' 2002 state championship. He pitched six innings of relief in a quarterfinal win over Baldwin. His outing allowed the Owls to rest their top two pitchers — Patrick McGuigan and Ryan Basco — for the semifinals and championship.
With three other former Owls on the UH team, Kuroda said that should ease his transition.
"There will be a lot of other guys from Mid-Pac, so that's a relief," he said.
The early signing period is in November. Trapasso cannot comment on recruits until they sign their national letters of intent.
Meanwhile, the former Owls who will be Kuroda's future teammates are playing respectably in their collegiate summer leagues.
Bauer (MPI '01) is 1-1 with a 3.31 ERA for the Brewster Whitecaps of the Cape Cod League, which features some of the top prospects in the college ranks. In six starts, Bauer has pitched 32á innings, striking out 15 and walking four.
Inouye (MPI '02) leads the Mat-Su Miners of the Alaska Baseball League with 19 RBIs in 33 games. He has seven doubles and three triples with a .256 batting average.
Omura (MPI '02) is hitting .329 with eight doubles, one triple, one home run and 17 RBIs for the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Coastal League. He has started in 27 of the team's 45 games through July 20.
Inouye and Omura were named freshman All-Americans by Collegiate Baseball newspaper.
