STANFORD, California ― Freshman slugger Rintaro Sasaki is making his mark with the Stanford Cardinal early in the season. The first baseman has started all 12 games, is batting .360 with 14 RBIs, has fielded well, and helped the team race out to a 10-2 record.
Sasaki is still missing one thing, however ― a home run.
For most players with his impressive numbers this early in the season that wouldn't be an issue, but when you are the all-time high school career home run leader in Japan, an almost mythical figure with 140 circuit clouts, people start to take notice.
During a four-game series against Xavier University over the weekend, the 125-kg Sasaki cracked three different blasts that looked like they might go out, only to be caught at the warning track or up against the wall.
Fans and media alike have been hoping to catch the Iwate Prefecture native's first big fly on video, holding up their smartphones each time he comes to the plate. But so far, it hasn't happened.
"Hitting a home run doesn't matter that much," Sasaki stated after rapping out two hits in a 10-2 series-opening win over the Musketeers on Friday, February 28 at Sunken Diamond. "I am just doing my best to help the team win every single game. The team is winning and today was a really hard game."
Stanford led 3-2 before blowing the game open with seven runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to seal the victory against Xavier.
Cardinal Coach Assesses Freshman's Batting Performance
Stanford coach David Esquer doesn't think Sasaki is pressing too hard to hit the long ball.
"The first one is going to be the toughest one. It really is," Esquer commented after the win. "I know everybody is expecting him to hit one, and he is capable of hitting one. He certainly is."
Added Esquer, "He is having quality at-bats and he is starting to get the ball in the air to the pull side a little bit, which is going to be key. Especially coming off his hand injury in the fall, just keeping the strength and getting better and better."
Rintaro Sasaki Describes His Approach to Hitting
For his part, Sasaki says he is trying to simplify and execute each time he comes to the plate.
"I am just trying to hit and score runs," remarked Sasaki, who is tied for the team high with 18 hits. "Of course, I hope to hit home runs, but I am not feeling too bad even though I don't have a home run. I am hitting line drives."
Added Sasaki, "I am just trying to keep things simple. Sometimes I overthink things. I am really just trying to focus on my swing."
On March 1, Sasaki had his highlight of the weekend when he ripped a bases-loaded double into the right-field corner in the third inning to bring home all three runners in Stanford's 8-3 triumph in the second game of a doubleheader.
The Cardinal split the four-game set with the Musketeers, and will travel east this week for a three-game series against North Carolina beginning on Friday, March 7, marking their first action as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.
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Author: Jack Gallagher
The author is a veteran sports journalist and one of the world's foremost figure skating experts. Find articles and podcasts by Jack on his author page, and find him on X (formerly Twitter) @sportsjapan.
