HOMEGROWN REPORT
Fullerton's Suzuki earns national baseball honor
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Cal State Fullerton's Kurt Suzuki continues to roll in the honors.
The junior catcher was named National Player of the Week by Collegiate Baseball newspaper today. He also was named Big West Player of the Week for the third time this season.
Kurt Suzuki was named National Player of the Week.
Suzuki, a 2001 Baldwin High graduate, batted 11 for 13 (.846) in helping the Titans (11-1 Big West, 28-18 overall) sweep a three-game Big West series from Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo). He reached base safely in 13 of 15 plate appearances. He had a double, triple and home run with five runs and four RBIs in the series, and drove in the winning run in a 3-2 series-opening victory.
Suzuki leads the Big West with a .442 batting average and .545 on-base percentage. He leads the Titans with 49 runs, 72 hits, eight home runs and 55 RBIs. He is on the watch list for the Johnny Bench Award, which goes to college baseball's top catcher, according to a school press release.
More baseball
• Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (Claremont, Calif.) sophomore right fielder Kyle Seminara (Punahou '02 of Mililani) was named the school's Male Featured Athlete after leading the team in home runs (6), RBIs (42) and slugging percentage (.645). He is second on the team in hits (44), doubles (10) and triples (3).
Seminara has already surpassed his totals for last season in every major offensive category, doubling his RBI total. He also leads the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in home runs, RBIs and total bases.
Senior shortstop Tyler Kimura (Iolani '00 of Honolulu), sophomore pitcher Matthew Oda (Punahou '02 of Honolulu) and senior catcher Chad Sakumoto (Punahou '00 of Honolulu) also play for the Stags.
Men's tennis
• Saint Louis (St. Louis, Mo.) junior Ikaika Jobe (Punahou '01 of Wailupe) was named to the Conference USA second team.
He posted a 21-12 record at No. 1 singles this season, and is ranked No. 126 by the Intercollegiate Tennis Association.
Jobe received third-team all-conference honors after his freshman and sophomore years.
Women's golf
• Long Island (Brooklyn, N.Y.) freshman Erica Chong (Hilo '03 of Hilo) was named to the all-Northeast Conference team after finishing seventh in the NEC championships April 20.
Chong shot 23-over-par 87-80—167.
Chong is also a member of the women's soccer team, playing in 14 games with three starts.
• Puget Sound (Tacoma, Wash.) freshman Emily Lau (Iolani '03 of Honolulu) earned medalist honors, posting a score of 159 at the Northwest Conference Championships April 19.
Lau, who was named to the all-tournament team, was the medalist in all six events she played in this spring.
She was also recognized as Puget Sound Female Athlete of the Week.
Football
• Two players were left off last week's list of former Hawai'i high school athletes playing at Division I colleges on the Mainland.
They are:
Freshman strong safety Wes Scott (Punahou '03) of Ohio State. Scott (6-2, 180 pounds) is not listed on the depth chart.
Redshirt freshman running back Ranson Shepard (formerly known as Ranson Kepa), a 2003 graduate of Kailua, at UNLV. Shepard (5-11, 235) is not listed on the depth chart.
Signings
• Pearl City senior Nathaniel Nasca signed with Azusa Pacific (Azusa, Calif.) to play football, according to his father, Phil.
Nasca, who is about 5 feet 8 and 145 pounds, was recruited as a wide receiver, and will probably be used for special teams, according to his father.
Nasca, who was an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Western Division first-team selection at wide receiver and defensive back, won the 100 (10.7 seconds), 200 (22.7) and 110-meter hurdles (15.35) at the OIA Western Division Championships April 24.
• Punahou senior Derek Hinkley signed with the University of San Diego, and will join its football team in the fall, according to his father, Mike.
Hinkley, who is 5-11 and 190 pounds, is expected to compete at free or strong safety, according to his father.
Hinkley is on the track and field team, competing in the long jump, the 100 (11.47), 200 (23.71) and 400. He has also run a 4.4 40-yard dash, according to his father.
• Kapolei senior Ed Afualo signed with Brigham Young, according to Kapolei swimming coach Dexter Lee.
Afualo, who won four straight 100-yard breaststroke state titles, will be competing in breaststroke events for the Cougars.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.
