Head coach Matt Markovich steps out of the dugout, raises his right arm and summons toward the bullpen where number 17 is stretching waiting for the call. In an instant, Takane Suzuki is on the mound adjusting his goggles as he prepares to shutdown another team.

Suzuki, the Wilson CCAA pitcher of the week for the week of Feb. 27 through March 5 is not an imposing figure on the mound, in fact at 5 feet 10 inches and 160 pounds, he is actually the opposite.
Quiet, focused, and prepared, Suzuki takes the mound and does not wait long before firing two fastballs low and away for strikes. He stares in again at the plate, winds up and fires another pitch this time it is a breaking ball so devastating the batter's knees buckle and the umpire calls strike three.

“I always ask myself when I’m on the mound to throw fast pitch strike and get ahead in the count,” Suzuki said. “I just go out to pitch and tell myself to enjoy.”

Takane Suzuki is a soft spoken Japanese pitcher from Tokyo. He is a determined, disciplined and focused player who says few words on the field but works harder than anyone out there. According to assistant coach Nobu Hishinuma, Suzuki is the typical Japanese ball player because he works hard, shows discipline and competes all out in practice and in games.

“Japanese players usually are very disciplined, hard working guys,” Hishinuma said. “Takane is the same, he doesn’t go out there and yell and scream. He just goes to the mound throws strikes and shuts down the other team.”

Suzuki, 22, came to SF State this spring via Palomar Junior College in San Diego. Coach Hishinuma, who played baseball at Palomar JC, played a key role in recruiting Suzuki. Suzuki moved to San Diego to play baseball two years ago and now in his third year away from home, Suzuki misses his family and friends in Japan.

“I’m happy, of course, to be here in the U.S. but I miss my mom and dad,” Suzuki said. “The first thing I did when I won player of the week was to call them and they were happy for me.”

Growing up, Suzuki idolized pitcher Hideo Nomo who was the first major Japanese player to break into the Major Leagues. Suzuki always wanted to be a pitcher and when Nomo made it playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers he and his friends got excited because they felt like it could happen to them.

“We all liked Hideo Nomo, especially the kids who played baseball because it made us feel that it was possible for us to make it in America,” Suzuki said.

As the primary closer for the Gators this season Suzuki is 2-0 with five saves and 0.87 ERA. Batters are hitting a feeble .214 against him and he has recorded 15 strikeouts in 20.2 innings. Suzuki relies primarily on his fastball and breaking ball and so far he has been un-hittable

“He’s got some nasty stuff. I mean he just goes out there and shoves it; I really can’t describe it,” said junior pitcher Kenny Sayler. “When he goes out there we know he’s going to get the job done.”

Despite the early success, Suzuki has stayed humble and continues to work hard on the field and in the classroom where he is majoring in business managment. Suzuki is not sure what he wants to do after he is done at SF State, but he knows he wants to go home to Japan for the summer.

“I miss Japan, especially the food. I really like to eat and the sushi in Japan is the best,” Suzuki said.

Although the Gators have struggled in their first 23 games, Suzuki is excited because the team is getting better. And with him on the mound closing out games the Gators are headed in the right direction.

“I just want to do my best to help the team,” Suzuki said. “I don’t care about the ERA or the strikeouts, I just want to help the team win.”