LIHU‘E — Twenty-seven kids came out the first day the university players came to work out at the Lihu‘e County Park batting cages Monday.
Karl Tashima was joined by Kimo Tejada as they worked with University of Hawai‘i softball players Jessica Iwata and Jori Jasper before the pair returns to O‘ahu for school and the softball program, which opens in February.
“The kids all came because Jessica is an All-American,” Tashima said. “It’s not every day you can see people of this caliber work out, and the kids were all excited.”
Joining Jasper and Iwata, Samson Anguay of the Rainbow Warrior football team also enjoyed the shade of the monkeypod tree while the pair took turns hitting pitches.
Tashima said during the winter break they also had visits from Shauna Tafiti, another All-American who graduated from Waimea High School as a catcher and made a name for herself in Arizona. Ulu Matagiese, currently with the Waimea High School basketball program, also stopped in for workouts.
“Shauna, who graduated as a Menehune catcher, spent the summer playing all-girl baseball in South America,” Tashima said. “She was invited to the Olympic team earlier this year and, only two days after that invitation, received a call from the All-Girls Baseball program.”
Tashima said Jasper, who described herself as a redshirt sophomore, wants to improve her hitting so she can get more playing time. Iwata, a Kaua‘i High School graduate, said in addition to herself and Jasper, Jocelyn Enrique, a Kapa‘a High School graduate, is also on the roster as a catcher.
Iwata as a freshman was named Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year, as well as being named to the 2010 USA Softball Women’s Futures National Team, the first University of Hawai‘i softball player to be selected to this team.
She finished her freshman season hitting .395 (64 for 162) with 53 runs scored, 16 home runs and 49 runs batted in, breaking Hawai‘i’s single-season record for doubles with 20.
In addition to the WAC Player of the Year honor, Iwata was voted to the all-WAC first team and was selected the Louisville-Slugger/National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s National Player of the Week.
As a sophomore, Iwata was joined by Stephanie Ricketts and Michelle Moses on the 2011 Easton All-America teams, Iwata making the second team selection, with Ricketts and Moses making the third team selections.
Iwata as a sophomore led the Rainbow Wahine with a .355 average (60 for 169), .663 slugging percentage, and .447 on-base percentage.
She also led Hawai‘i in runs scored with 43, hits with 60, home runs with 15 and 44 RBIs and was voted to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s All-West Region second team for the second straight year.
The University of Hawai‘i opens its softball season Feb. 9 against Seattle during the 2012 Oceanic Time Warner Cable Paradise Classic in Honolulu.
