Milton Takenaka has 28 years of experience as Waipahu’s head baseball coach to compare junior left-hander Dylan Sugimoto.

So what stands out the most about his ace pitcher?

"His leadership ability," Takenaka said. "This is his third year at varsity and the kids know he’s our best pitcher, but Dylan is (humble) about it."

Just how humble? Consider this.

In an alumni game last fall, Sugimoto stood at the plate and stared down major league pitcher Jerome Williams, who was a first-round supplemental draft pick in 1999 out of Waipahu.

He sent a fastball through the hole on the left side of the infield to earn a hit off a pitcher who made 15 starts with the Los Angeles Angels last year.

Did he say anything to the major leaguer?

"No, (Williams) just laughed and said, ‘Good approach,’ " Sugimoto said. "I didn’t say anything, it was just good fun."

Lethal both on the mound and at the plate, Sugimoto has pitched the Marauders to two big early-season wins to start the year.

Waipahu is one of three schools currently 3-2 in the OIA Red West, trailing only undefeated Campbell (5-0).

Sugimoto has pitched Waipahu to all three of its wins, beginning the season with a two-hit, 11-strikeout performance in a complete-game victory over Kapolei.

He worked overtime in an extra-innings win over Pearl City, going eight innings while also scoring the game-winning run in a 3-2 victory 10 days ago.

On Saturday, he held Mililani to just three hits over seven innings in a 4-1 victory for his third complete game in as many starts — all wins.

"He’s put on some muscle," Takenaka said. "As a freshman, he was more like a finesse pitcher, but he’s bulked up and has a fastball that sneaks up on people, still basically has his curveball, and has become a much more well-rounded pitcher."

As a sophomore, Sugimoto played a big role to bring a state baseball title to Waipahu for the first time.

The Marauders capped off a perfect 15-0 season with a 1-0 victory over Waimea to win the Division II state championship last May.

Sugimoto, named to the all-tournament team, tossed six shutout innings in a win in the quarterfinals and closed out the title game on the mound, squeezing the final out in his glove on a pop fly to end it.

"I just remember the ball going up in the air and coming down and next thing I knew everyone was charging out of the dugout," Sugimoto said. "We hadn’t won a state championship in baseball and it was huge for us."

Sugimoto was named third-team All-State as a sophomore and is on pace to do much more this year.

Waipahu has moved up into the much tougher OIA West, but has held its own early on.

Waipahu’s only real disappointment so far is an 11-1 loss to Aiea in which Takenaka said his team lacked any energy whatsoever.

"I’ll be honest, I didn’t expect to lose that game," Takenaka said. "These kids are learning this isn’t Division II. Every game is a tough game and that’s what’s showing up now."

Sugimoto has worked in the offseason with longtime pitching coach Brendan Sagara, who spent last year working with the Jamestown Jammers in the Miami Marlins’ minor league system.

Standing 5 feet 9, Sugimoto says he’s added velocity to his fastball that now tops out between 85 and 86 mph.

He played in the Arizona Fall Classic last year and has begun to hear from colleges and pro scouts.

"College is one thing I’m looking forward to, but you always have to shoot higher and playing in the pros will always be my dream," said Sugimoto, who has heard from Stanford as well as scouts from the Toronto Blue Jays and Kansas City Royals.

Sugimoto said he’s sent his transcripts to the University of Hawaii, but is focused more on leaving the state.

"I just want to travel a bit, but hopefully stay on the West Coast, close to my family," he said. "Hawaii is still one of my options though and I’m keeping everything open."