HAWAI'I HOMEGROWN REPORT
Claremont's Yamamoto hit school, record books
By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer
Erik Yamamoto had plenty of baseball options after leading Iolani to the 1998 state championship and being chosen first-team All-State a second time before his graduation in 1999.
Yamamoto made a major-league education his No. 1 priority, forsaking pressure-packed Division I college baseball for laid-back Division III — but he still set strikeout records at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps in Southern California.
Along his way to earning a bachelor's degree in literature and history this month from Claremont McKenna College, "I learned a totally new perspective on playing the game for what it is," Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto broke the team's career and single-season strikeout records and was selected first-team all-conference and third-team All-Western Region by coaches.
But, he says, he "really learned where sports falls into the total picture and I gained respect for how really great mentors and teachers can shape learning.
"I've wanted to teach since sixth grade and now I feel more strongly about it than ever."
Yamamoto struck out 113 this season, breaking a record that had stood since 1959, and ended his career with 305 strikeouts.
"Division I is a business; that is what they do," he said. "The goal for me was to get my degree and use baseball as a fun way to stay healthy.
"If you are not going pro, Division III allows you to get the total college experience. The pressure isn't there to make you perform every day."
NCAA Division III colleges are not allowed to give financial aid that is tied to athletics.
Yamamoto had a 2.73 earned-run average in 92 1/3 innings and a 6-2 record this year. "One of his standout stats," coach Randy Town said, "was only 19 walks" (that's less than two per game).
"He has really matured physically; he worked hard on weight training," Town said. "He's up on our magic board here (for his strikeout records)."
But Yamamoto cannot pick out a single strikeout or game full of them, as being memorable. "My best memories," he said, "are the friends I made through the game — wonderful people and role models."
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, which combines players from several small colleges on to one team — like Honolulu's Pac-Five high school combine — had four other players from Hawai'i.
Junior shortstop Tyler Kimura (Iolani '00 of Kalani Valley) also was first-team all-conference. Kimura batted .319 (44-for-138) and had 27 RBIs in 37 games. He fielded .930 with 129 assists.
"He is the backbone of our team," Yamamoto said.
Yamamoto and Kimura were co-captains.
Junior catcher Chad Sakumoto (Punahou '00 of Kaimuki) started 36 of 37 games, hit .309 (33-for-107) and had a .982 fielding percentage. The players selected Sakumoto and Kimura to receive Gold Glove trophies for their defensive play.
Freshman right fielder Kyle Seminara (Punahou '02 of Mililani), who is 6 feet 3 and 190 pounds, batted .345 (39-for-113) with 21 RBIs in 34 games. "He's got a gun" of an arm, Town said.
Freshman Matthew Oda (Punahou '02 of Kaka'ako) pitched three innings.
The Hawai'i players helped Claremont-Mudd-Scripps improve from 10-29 last year to 20-17.
