Wednesday, August 8, 2001
[ ISLAND MOVERS ]
The Hawaii Island Movers could have cemented a spot in tomorrow's Hawaii International Baseball Championship Tournament title game if they had won last night. Shuto All-Stars
slip by MoversBy Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.comA key hit here or there would have helped. There just weren't many in the Movers' bats.
The Shuto University All-Stars scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth on Masaki Onodera's bases-loaded single for a 2-1 triumph.
The Movers have to beat Tohoku Fukushi University in tonight's 6:30 game to tie for first place and then hope the fewest-runs-allowed tie-breaker is in their favor.
Shuto scored first in the bottom of the fifth inning on Shinji Matsumoto's double down the left-field line, Takayuki Suzuki's single to right and Shuji Nakajima's high chopper toward second.
The Movers answered in the top of the sixth when Jim Wallace singled. He took second on a wild pickoff throw to first and scored on Joe Perry's line single to left.
Sean Yamashita pitched the distance for the Movers.
He struck out 11 and walked three, but two were intentional in the ninth. He had avoided any major trouble up to that point.
However, after Matsumoto singled and was sacrificed to second, Yamashita wild-pitched Matsumoto to third. That changed strategy. Movers coach Dave Nakama ordered the bases loaded to set up a force play at home.
Onodera foiled the plan by grounding a one-strike pitch to center field.
The summer has been a learning experience for Yamashita who starts his senior year at the University of Hawaii in a couple of weeks.
"Going to Japan was a great experience. It helped me become better mentally," Yamashita said.
"When you play summer ball, it's to work on things you had trouble with during the season. For me, it was like my own composure and staying within yourself.
"Going to Japan helped because the Japanese hitters drive you nuts. They hit the balls you never expect them to hit and put the ball in play. They are hard to strike out. You have to pitch. You have to have a change-up."
That talent eluded Yamashita this past spring with the Rainbows, but he says he has learned how to change speeds this summer.
"It's just being more smart rather than just throwing the ball," Yamashita said.
"Tommy Gushiken (former UH assistant coach) would tell to throw the change-up when I got into bad situations, but I couldn't throw it to save my life."
Mixing the change-up in with his other pitches should not be a problem for 5-foot-8 right-hander next spring.
Tohoku Fukushi University (Japan) blanked the Guam National Team, 17-0, in yesterday's first game.
Hawaii 000 001 000 -- 1 6 2 Shuto 000 010 001 -- 2 11 1 Sean Yamashita and Jim Wallace; Yoshihiro Nakasaki, Ryousuke Goto (7), Taichi Ozawa (9) and Takayuki Suzuki. W--Ozawa. L--Yamashita.
Leading hitters--Movers: Jim Wallace, 4-4. Shuto: Hiroyuki Hashimoto, 2-3, 2b; Shinji Matsumoto, 2b; Takayuki Suzuki, 2-3.