Walls is BWC freshman pitcher of year; 2 other ’Bows selected to first team

FULLERTON, CALIF. >> The congratulatory hugs would have to wait.

When the Big West announced its 2025 Freshman Pitcher of the Year, the winner — Hawaii’s Cooper Walls — was making the rounds of the workout circuit in the Cal State Fullerton weight room. Walls did squat-lifts, then one-armed lifts, and then deltoid-strengthen reps.

“I’m getting my body ready for it,” said Walls, who will be the starting pitcher for the Rainbow Warriors in today’s single-elimination game against UC Santa Barbara in the Big West Championship tournament on the CSUF campus. “I didn’t go too crazy. I was doing light stuff today. If it were an off day, I’d probably go a little heavier. I plated all the team stuff, but just lighter weights.”

After completing the 45-minute, weight-training session, Walls exited the air-conditioned facility to the warm greetings from teammates.

“It’s pretty cool,” Walls said of the award. “It’s like my hard work paid off. It’s a good feeling, for sure. … Freshman pitcher of the year is great, it’s awesome. But we still have a job to do.”

Walls’ meteoric start to his college career can be traced to a chance encounter four years ago. Hill, who was San Diego’s head coach at the time, visited former major league third baseman Hank Blalock. Hill noticed Walls, a freshman catcher for La Costa Canyon High, unleashing powerful throws to second base. “He never saw me pitch before, but he saw me throw and thought I had a good arm,” Walls recalled.

The next season Walls was a pitcher. Three years later, Walls is 3-3 with a 3.67 ERA and the frontman of the ’Bows starting rotation. Walls pitched seven scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory over then-ranked UC Santa Barbara. He also did not allow an earned run in five innings against nationally-ranked Oregon State.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Walls said. “It all happened for a reason this season, and it ended up being great for me.”

In polling of the league’s 11 head coaches, UH two-way player Itsuki Takemoto and relief pitcher Isaiah Magdaleno were named to the All-Big West first team.

First baseman Ben Zeigler-Namoa and center fielder Matthew Miura were selected to the second team.

Takemoto, who was born and reared in Japan, was honored as a utility player because of his pitching and hitting. For most of the season, Takemoto has been the ’Bows’ No. 1 starting pitcher. He is 2-5 with a 5.29 ERA. As the designated hitter, he is hitting .267.

“It could be better,” Takemoto said of his stats. “I’m happy.”

Takemoto acknowledge the challenge of being a two-way player. “I just try to win,” he said. “I try to compete very hard. That’s my job. Just compete every time, every moment. I try to do that. Sometimes I can’t do that. But that’s baseball, I guess.”

Magdaleno, a sophomore from Los Angeles, is 4-1 with seven saves. Relying on a low-90s fastball, changeup and curve, Magdaleno has pitched to a 2.68 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. He averages 11.9 strikeouts and 1.5 walks per nine innings.

Zeigler-Namoa, who grew up on Maui, leads the ’Bows in batting average (.333), hits (66) and RBIs (46). Miura, a Maryknoll School graduate, is hitting .327. He has drawn 44 walks while striking out only 20 times. He has stolen 17 bases.