Iolani graduate Jackson gets into BYU record book
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Put bats in their hands and ballplayers from Hawai'i are forces to be reckoned with.
BYU sports information
One university's baseball career triples record fell last week to a four-year pursuit from a Hawai'i player, and another college's softball career RBI record could fall this week in games on O'ahu.
Brigham Young senior Doug Jackson hit two triples last week against New Mexico to set a school career record of 20.
• Brigham Young (Utah)
Senior Doug Jackson (Iolani '99 of Kailua) sprinted past BYU baseball's career triples record last weekend when he hit two at New Mexico for a four-year total of 20.
Jackson's 20th triple, a screamer down the right-field line, was hit off former Punahou and UH pitcher Chad Giannetti on Friday in Albuquerque.
Jackson also homered twice and went 8-for-15 in the Mountain West Conference series, missing the cycle by a double both Thursday and Friday.
His reward was being hit by a pitch Saturday.
Jackson is batting .364 (28-for-77) in 18 games with five triples this season. He has been errorless in center field.
He will move into BYU's career top 10 in stolen bases this season.
Junior third baseman Kainoa Obrey (Iolani '99 of Makiki) leads BYU in RBIs with 23 and shares the team lead in runs (18) and home runs (4) in 18 games. He is batting .386 (26-for-71).
Obrey led BYU in batting in 2001, but got a medical redshirt last year because of disabling herniated disks in his lower back.
Obrey also was hit by a pitch last week — by Giannetti.
• Pacific (Calif.)
Senior center fielder Estee Okumura (Punahou '99 of Kapahulu) could break Pacific's career RBI record this week during the Hawai'i Invitational at UH.
OKUMURA
Okumura has 15 RBIs this season and needs three to break Cindy Ball's record of 111.
However, Okumura's focus this weekend will not be on setting records. "(My goal is) just to come out and have fun and not to play scared because I'm playing in front of my family and my hometown crowd for the last time. I want to go out and do what I know how to do," she said.
"It will be nerve wracking because (tomorrow's) game against Hawai'i will be televised (K5 at 6 p.m.)," Okumura said. "It's exciting."
Okumura is also on Pacific's career lists in doubles (fourth with 32), triples (second with 12), home runs (fourth with 16, including three in her first 26 games this season) and stolen bases (sixth with 46).
She hit perhaps her most memorable triple Monday — memorable for Long Island first baseman Alissa Villanueva, anyway. Okumura ripped a sizzling line drive flush off Villanueva's forehead and the ball rolled into the right-field corner. Villanueva left the game a half-inning later.
"She's done everything we've ever asked of her," Pacific coach Brian Kolze said. "She's the best athlete in our program."
Senior Aloha Yamaguchi (University '99 of Kahalu'u) also starts for Pacific. She has been playing second base because of another starter's injury but will be the designated player this week in Honolulu. Her sister, Kea Yamaguchi, is a reserve with Hawai'i.
YAMAGUCHI
Nicole Inouye (Sacred Hearts '99 of Kaimuki) started her senior season with a three-run home run against now-No. 9 Stanford on Feb. 1, but she dislocated her left shoulder three games later. She will make this week's trip, but won't play.
Inouye may take a medical redshirt year and play in 2004 as she plans to remain at Pacific next year to pursue a master's degree in business administration.
Pacific has won eight of its last 10 and is 15-11.
