HANAPEPE — Jessica Iwata had a dream even before setting foot on the diamond. She wanted to play baseball. Joycelyn “Jolly” Iwata, Jessica’s mom, said while preparing for Jessica’s graduation party in 2009 after Jessica’s graduation from Kaua‘i High School,
HANAPEPE — Jessica Iwata had a dream even before setting foot on the diamond. She wanted to play baseball.
Joycelyn “Jolly” Iwata, Jessica’s mom, said while preparing for Jessica’s graduation party in 2009 after Jessica’s graduation from Kaua‘i High School, they found a video of Jessica during her preschool graduation.
“Everybody was saying they wanted to be a policeman or a fireman, but Jessica got up and said, ‘I want to be a baseball player,’” Joycelyn said. “But she didn’t even start playing until she was 5 years old.”
Jessica is coming off a successful first year at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa, where she plays shortstop, the same position she anchored during her tenure with the Kaua‘i High School Red Raiders.
Unfortunately, the ride ended prematurely when Arizona’s 5-1 win took the Rainbow Wahine out of the Women’s College World Series, the first time the Hawai‘i women reached that event.
That meant Jessica came home with the team, but her parents, Jason and Joycelyn, remained in Oklahoma City until Thursday night.
“I’m still dizzy from all that,” Jason said. “But mom said if they get past the Super Regionals, we’re booking the flight. We booked for the duration.”
Joycelyn said they attended the Western Athletic Conference and the Stanford Regionals, but missed Alabama.
“It was exciting,” Jason said. “Everywhere we walked, everyone was rooting for UH. They had fans coming out from everywhere.”
Jessica was in the midst of all that, earning the Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division I Player of the Week honor on April 13, the first Hawai‘i player to earn that accolade. During the week leading to that selection, Jessica went 12-for-20 with nine runs, 17 RBIs, two doubles, six home runs, two grand slams and two walks, finishing the week with a 1.600 slugging percentage, a .636 on-base percentage and a .600 batting average.
Heading into the game against Missouri, Iwata was third on the Hawai‘i squad with a .379 batting average with 18 home runs recorded.
This was the number on June 2 as reported by “RockMNation,” and from a girl whom mom said didn’t like softball.
“She was in and out of softball starting in middle school, and was a starter all four years at Kaua‘i High School,” Joycelyn said.
During her senior year, Jessica admits there were some issues because of her involvement with track and not being able to make all of the softball practices. But those were resolved and she finished the 2009 season with a .633 batting average with 23 runs scored, eight home runs and 24 RBI.
She went on to lead the Kaua‘i team to the 2009 state Division II title after hitting .571 with eight RBI.
During the UH team’s 28-day road trip that ended at the WCWS, Jessica said she got to see facilities that were much nicer than those at Rainbow Stadium in Manoa.
“It’s much nicer,” Jessica, who saw her first snow, said. “But you don’t need fancy facilities to play good softball.”
Heading into the 2010-2011 season, Jessica is optimistic about the prospects for the Rainbow Wahine, despite the team losing five graduates.
“The whole right side graduated — the catcher, first base, second base and right field,” Jessica said. “That was also our No. 6 through 9 batting lineup.”
But Jessica said the coach has already signed a left-handed catcher and three middle-infielders.
Losing a catcher sparks a light for another Kaua‘i player, Jocelyn Enrique, a Kapa‘a High School graduate, on the team.
“Jocelyn was our No. 3 catcher, and we graduated two catchers,” Jessica said. “But we have a good left-handed catcher coming in, so it might be all up for grabs, again.”
Jory Jasper, graduating with Jessica from Kaua‘i High School, red-shirted this year and will be vying for a spot in the coming year.
“Our defense should be fine,” Jessica said. “Our freshmen need to step up and we should be OK.”
Jessica said everyone comes in knowing how to play.
“I had a hard time at first because we were playing everywhere, but once the team lineup was set, things became more comfortable and we just played together,” Jessica said.
Jessica said she wants to keep playing even after she finishes school.
“Right now, I’m taking liberals for psychology and kinesiology, but I guess I’m going to have to declare one (major) next year,” she said. “After that, if I make the USA team, maybe I’ll play with them.
“Or, some of the girls say I can go to Italy — they pay you to play there. But, we’ll see where everything ends up.”
Karl Tashima, one of the coaches who was working with Jessica, Friday, said she’s on the high road now.
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
