On August 22, the Cal State East Bay baseball team traveled nearly halfway across the world to Japan for a unique experience. The Pioneers will be guests of the Fukuoka Institute of Technolgy (FIT) for a week of friendly competition and cultural interaction with the FIT student-athletes.

Be sure to check back all week for blog updates from Pioneer baseball player Kenny Uyetake and photos of this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Click here to view FIT's complete photo albums from the week's various activities. 

___________________________________________________________________________


August 29: Final Game & Closing Ceremonies
by Kenny Uyetake

The last game for the Pioneers was started by game 1 pitcher Sean Becker.  Just like his first start, Becker was spot on. He threw 5 1/3 innings, gave up one earned run, and had one strikeout. Bryce Vidmar came into relieve Becker, and he finished the rest of the game. One of the highlights of the entire week was Vidmar's ability to pick off FIT baserunners. Vidmar ended up picking off three runners, and it was evident that the FIT players had no amswer for the lefty's crafty move. 

The Pioneers were led at the plate by middle infielders Zac Chuvala and Eren Miravalles, both of whom had two hits apiece. The double play duo had a nice week both at the plate and in the field. Much credit was due to the FIT pitching staff, as they were able to control our bats and shut us out yet again. The final score was 3-0 in favor of FIT.

After the game, both teams gathered one last time for a Closing Ceremony party. Both team captains made brief speeches telling the audience how much fun each team had during this incredible week. The players enjoyed one last feast before exchanging pictures and more memories. The highlight of the night belonged to Coach Darren Lewis. Both FIT and East Bay players surprised Coach Lewis by singing "Happy Birthday," which was a great way to end our time in Japan.

Final Thoughts

Overall the whole Japan experience has been like something out of a movie. Even with poor weather during the first few days, we all had the time of their lives. Speaking on behalf of all the East Bay players, this trip is been something that will always be a part of our lives. Not only were the games impressive, but the experiences off the field were just as memorable. We want to thank all the players and the entire staff at FIT for making this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible. We also want to thank Cal State East Bay's president, Leroy Morishita, for all his love and support for the East Bay baseball family. Finally, thanks to all the parents who made the trip to Japan with us. We are extremely grateful for your support and love.

The future of Cal State East Bay baseball looks very bright. I would personally like to thank Coach Ralston, Coach Lewis, and Coach Costanza for an amazing two years of baseball, I can't imagine a better way to end my senior season. I wish my fellow teammates the very best this upcoming year on and off the field.

GO PIONEERS!!!


Final Statistics (Top hitters and pitchers)

Bryson Nakamura: .429 avg (3-for-7), 3 RBI
Roger Luna: .364 avg (4-for-11), R
Eren Miravalles: .348 avg (8-for-23), SB, R
David Elzig: .308 avg (4-for-13), 
Kyle Zozaya: .286 avg (2-for-7), SB, R

Nick Hudson: 0.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 5 K
Michael Pope: 0.00 ERA, 8.0 IP, 5 K
Ben O'Bryan: 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 5 K
Sean Becker: 1.92 ERA, 9.1 IP, 3 K
Bryce Vidmar: 3.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 1 K
John Tierney: 3.00 ERA, 3.0 IP, 2 K
Matt Fontaine: 3.60 ERA, 5.0 IP, 7 K  

___________________________________________________________________________


August 28: Games 5, 6, and Home Run Derby
by Kenny Uyetake

Senior Ben O'Bryan took the mound for the Pioneers in game 5. O'Bryan threw five quality innings, allowing only one run with five strikeouts. He didn't allow a hit until the 4th inning. O'Bryan had the FIT hitters off balance with his dynamic curveball, which complemented his two-seam fastball very well. Making his East Bay debut was freshman John Tierney. The hard-throwing right hander tossed three innings of relief, allowing just one earned run.

On offense, we scored our lone run on an error by the FIT second baseman. Kyle Zozaya led the Pioneers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double in his first at bat.  Zozaya was Cal State East Bay's Male Athlete of the Year for 2012-13, leading the team in batting average, hits, and doubles. David Elzig also had two hits in the game. Notching his first hit as a Pioneer was freshman Jake Villa, but we lost the game by a score of 3-1.

After the first game of the day, both teams had a friendly competition of home run derby.  East Bay was represented by Kyle Zozaya, Chris Porter, Eren Miravalles, Brandon Alexander, and Jake Villa. Porter, a sophomore catcher, won the derby with three absolute moonshots over left field. Miravalles blasted one home run. 

The last game of the day was a "mixed" game, which meant each team was comprised of some East Bay players and some FIT players. It was a unique experience, as each team had the privilege of learning the baseball lingo from their respective cultures. The final score of the game was 7-5, but it was more like a exhibition game, and winning wasn't really the main focus.

Naea Kalehuawehe had a nice game, notching hits in his first two at bats. Chris Schmalz, Taylor Kruger, and Zachary Wong represented East Bay on the mound. All three had success getting FIT players and fellow East Bay teammates out.

As I mentioned, this mixed game was more about friendly competition. It's safe to say that this game was one of my highlights of my life, and I think that's true for other players as well. Sharing the field with fhe FIT players is something that all of us will cherish for the rest of their lives.

After the game, both teams gathered to hear speeches from all the coaches. Coach Bob Ralston and Coach darren Lewis gave a brief history of their respective professional baseball careers, and the FIT head coach also gave a bio of his playing career. It was nice to see that so many FIT players had questions for our coaches, and a lot of them were related to practice. It was very comical for the FIT players when they heard that American college players only practice around three hours a day.  It turns out the Japanese player usually put in around seven hours a day!  That dedication is definitely evident in their style of play, with their flawless attention to detail. 

___________________________________________________________________________


August 27: Professional Japanese Baseball Game
by Kenny Uyetake

The Pioneer baseball team had the privilege of attending a professional Japanese baseball game between the local Soft Bank Hawks the Chiba Lotte Marines. The experience was one of a kind, from the drums in the outfield to eating fish on a stick. Our team was in absolute awe of the stadium, which happened to be a dome. The final score was 6-0 in favor of the Marines.  The score didn't matter, the experience of going to a professional Japanese game still has me in awe.

Many of our players were able to purchase souvenirs for family and friends. Hawks jerseys and shirts were popular,  but Japan had a lot more to offer.  There were different foods like bbq squid and a sub sandwhich that was filled with a hotdog. Nick Goulet bought Japanese noise makers, which are hollow plastic bats that are extremely loud. It was an awesome experience, but the team had to get back to work for game 5 the following day.

___________________________________________________________________________


August 27: Games 3 and 4 vs. FIT
by Kenny Uyetake

The second day of baseball was a complete turnaround from the first. The Pioneers showed a lot more passion, matching the energy of the FIT players. As Coach Ralston put it, "Today we had a lot more SPUNK." It definitely showed on the field.

 
Our at bats were much more productive despite the low-scoring game. Returning seniors Roger Luna, Erin Miravalles, and Tyler Buchanan, and Chris Porter have been hitting the ball well. The young guns aren't that far behind either.  Sophmores-to-be Bryan Mason, Michael Jenkerson, Marcus Williams, David Elzig, and Jake Villa have been playing solid baseball as well. In the end, game 3 belonged to Hudson, but we couldn't manage to push a run across. The score was 0-0 after nine innings, and the game was called a tie.

Michael Pope took the hill for the Pioneers in game 4. Pope (8-3, 3.63 ERA) had a strong 2013 campaign and today's game was no different. In fact, he was pretty much unstoppable, tossing eight stellar innings without allowing a run. Pope was able to establish his fastball early and use his slider to get the FIT hitters to hit a lot of groundballs.

 
The Pioneers scored the only run in the doubleheader by either team when Nakamura drove Roger Luna with a base hit. Nakamura finished up his Pioneer career in 2013 with a strong season (.329 avg, .418 obp), and it was good to see one of East Bay's former players come through with a clutch hit. Senior Bryce Vidmar picked up the save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the Pioneers first win in Japan.  The final score was 1-0, and Coach Ralston and the rest of the staff were pleased in the victory.

___________________________________________________________________________


August 26: Games 1 and 2 vs. FIT
by Kenny Uyetake

Where do I begin? Everyone on the East Bay team was in awe of the style the FIT baseball team displayed. It started with their pregame routine, which they took with such grace and passion. They were yelling and running around doing a lot of crazy stuff,  but it was all under control. Their defense during pregame and in the game was absolutely astounding.

Our first game of the trip started off with All-CCAA pitcher Sean Becker (8-2, 2.19 ERA) on the mound. Becker was solid as usual; he pitched four innings and allowed two unearned runs with one strikeout and one walk.  It was evident that we were a little rusty, especially on the defensive side. Offensively, the Pioneers were lead by senior infielder Roger Luna, who roped two sharp line drives to center field. All-CCAA infielder Eren Miravalles went 1-for-3 with a double, and we were able to plate our only run on a bases-loaded walk.

The Pioneer bullpen was pretty solid with Taylor Kruger coming in for two innings. He was followed by Chris Schmalz, who tossed two innings as well. FIT won the game by a final score of 4-1.

The Pioneer starter for game 2 was All-CCAA pitcher Matt Fontaine (6-1 2.03 ERA), who was one of the team's top pitchers during the 2013 season. Fontaine gave the Pioneers five strong innings, allowing three earned runs and striking out seven. He was followed by right-hander Brian Allec and left-hander Bryce Vidmar, who combined to pitch the 6th inning. Making his East Bay debut on the mound was Daniel Ocasio. Ocasio tossed thre final two innings to finish off.

The FIT pitching staff held the our bats at bay pretty much the whole game. The Pioneers weren't able to string enough hits to match the scrappy FIT offense, and we came up short by a score of 8-2.

___________________________________________________________________________


August 25: Opening Ceremony & Practice
by Kenny Uyetake

Our second full day in Japan consisted of more rainy weather. However, both teams managed to practice due to the outstanding facilities at FIT. We had the privilege of seeing their baseball field and indoor hitting facility, both of which were off the charts.

The day began with the opening ceremony, which was located in the indoor batting cages. It was only fitting that the FIT baseball program had a first-class caliber opening ceremony to match their state-of-the-art facilities. We were joined by the brass band and both of FIT's college and high school teams. After that, we had the honor of exchanging gifts; the Pioneers gave each FIT player a gift bag containing of a CSUEB t-shirt, a ball, and a workout towel. The FIT team, meanwhile, gave each East Bay player our very own FIT hat.

After the conclusion of the opening ceremonies, it was determined that our scheduled game for the day against FIT would be cancelled due to rain, so we went straight into practice. East Bay had a very business-like practice, as usual, getting in all our necessary work.

Afterwards, the FIT program spoiled us yet again with another feast. Despite the rain, they were still able to create a tasty barbeque with chicken, beef, tempura, etc. You name it, they had it. It was an awesome experience in which both cultures exchanged laughs and had an awesome time.

The nightlife was another experience that we will never forget. The East Bay team took a train into one of the four capitals of Japan. It was everything and more when it came to the city, big lights, huge skylines, and interesting people. We spent most of our time in a huge mall that was about 10 stories tall.  All in all, it was another memorable night for the Pioneer baseball team.

___________________________________________________________________________


August 24: Welcome Party & Judo Exhibition
by Kenny Uyetake

On our first full day in Japan, we had the privilege of attending a Judo exhibition. There were about 20 black belt Judo students with five masters who all had impressive accolades (one who actually won a gold medal in Judo).  They had four students perform a variety of different throws, and we were all in awe of their finess and power.

The best part of the exhibition happened after their performance, however, when we were able to participate in some of their techniques. Brandon Alexander, Jake Villa, Nick Hudson, Sean Becker, Marcus Williams, and myself all participated, and we provided comic relief to everyone in the room. We took some pictures with the Judo students, and it was an awesome time bonding and learning the art of Judo.

Soon after the Judo exhibition, we traveled to a big auditorium for the welcome party. We were surrounded by a huge variety of food, everything from sushi to chicken wings. Then we got a chance to meet the FIT baseball players, and the teams split up by position, with pitchers on one half of the room and position players on the other half. It was definitely a unique and challenging experience communicating with the FIT players because of the language barrier. But in the end, baseball talk can be communicated with any culture.  Even though the weather hasn't been great due to rain, it hasn't stopped the East Bay players from making the most of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 
Towards the end of the party, we had the privilege of seeing one of Fukuoka's top brass bands perform. There were a couple of dance-offs between players, which featured our very own Marcus Williams taking the lead. A huge crowd gathered aroundf watching Marcus and fellow FIT players duke it out on the dance floor.

The Welcome Party concluded with speeches from the team captains from both schools. East Bay was represented by senior pitcher Sean Becker. Now we're excited to get on the baseball field, and we're looking forward to making more memories on this amazing trip.