LIHU‘E — She has just as much power as Jessica Iwata, she just needs to grow into herself, said Karl Tashima, a baseball coach. Tashima was speaking about Jori Jasper who will enter the University of Hawai‘i 2011 softball season
LIHU‘E — She has just as much power as Jessica Iwata, she just needs to grow into herself, said Karl Tashima, a baseball coach.
Tashima was speaking about Jori Jasper who will enter the University of Hawai‘i 2011 softball season as a red-shirt freshman.
Jasper will join Iwata, a sophomore, and Jocelyn Enrique, a red-shirt sophomore, when the season starts in February.
Both Jasper, one of three UH softball players named National Fastpitch Coaches Association Scholar-Athletes for the 2010 season, and Iwata were working on their daily hitting practice with Tashima and Micah Yee of the Lihu‘e Americans of Japanese Ancestry baseball team.
“We do about two hours of hitting and throwing workouts every day,” Jasper said. “Then, we do (weight) lifting at home, although sometimes, we do it together.”
The University of Hawai‘i softball team under Head Coach Bob Coolen finished last year 50-16 as the WAC Champions and advanced to its first-ever Women’s College World Series.
“I learned a lot from the season,” Jasper said. “It was good that I red-shirted because I could focus on school. I ended with 42 credits because I even went to summer school in preparation for this season.”
Jasper, shown as an outfielder on the team roster, said between her studies, she joined the team, working hard in weights, running and learning softball skills.
“There are a couple of juniors on this team, so as a red-shirt freshman, hopefully, I’ll get to see some field time,” Jasper, a Kaua‘i High School graduate, said. “Hawai‘i had a really good season last year, and I learned a lot.”
Iwata, another Kaua‘i graduate, finished the season as one of the strong freshmen on the Rainbow Wahine softball team, finishing the season with 18 home runs and 58 RBIs, while hitting for a .367 average.
WAC numbers for Iwata saw her end at .488 with 39 hits in 80 at-bats, netting 39 singles, a dozen two-baggers and 11 home runs, scoring 28 times.
“I’m going to try and keep on doing what I’m doing and not think too much about last year,” Iwata said. “Going to the Regionals was a really good experience, and I got a lot out of that.”
The Hawai‘i softball team returns 16 letterwinners from last year’s team that finished seventh in the nation following its WCWS experience and will open against Southern Utah, Feb. 10 at the Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium starting at 6 p.m.
“We had a strong team, and with all the people returning, hopefully, we’ll be alright,” Iwata said.
Enrique, a multi-sport graduate from Kapa‘a High School, finished the season with two at-bats, scoring once and getting an RBI.
“She’s been working hard and had a good season,” Jasper said. “She plays catcher and I think she’s doing good, and hopefully will have a chance to play more.”
Another Kauaian, Deirdre Wisneski, a former Waimea High School softball standout, serves as the Associate Head Coach for the Hawai‘i softball team.
