Coach Marvin Min learned something Saturday when the Hilo All-Stars lost their first game.
Coach Marvin Min learned something Saturday when the Hilo All-Stars lost their first game.
“They get quiet,” he said.
The ages 11-12 team didn’t stay that way for long.
Hilo bounced back with 20 hits — four by the incomparable Devin Midel — and beat San Jose, Calif., 14-6 to reach the championship game of the PONY Bronco West Zone tournament in Whittier, Calif.
The All-Stars will have to beat Santa Monica, Calilf. twice Sunday to advance to the World Series. The first game is at 9:30 a.m. Hawaii time. Santa Monica remained unbeaten when it beat Hilo 8-7 on Saturday, a game in which the All-Stars walked 10 batters and committed four errors.
“We know we can beat them,” Min said. “We just have to throw strikes and cut down on the errors.”
With his team’s season on the line, Min turned the ball over to his son, Cody. The control artist delivered three solid innings and picked up the victory against San Jose, striking out two.
“He is one of our starters but we have’t use him that way in a while,” Marvin Min said. “He throws strikes.”
Leadoff hitter Midel continued his assault going 4 for 5 to lift his average to .857 (12 of 14) in four games.
“He’s unbelievable,” Min said.
Stone Miyao also finished with four hits, and Bula Ahuna (2 for 4) clubbed a home run in the third to fuel an eight-run rally. Maui Ahuna compiled three hits and Kalai Rosario finished with two.
Min said countless baserunning errors hampered Hilo against Santa Monica.
Kalani Marquez (2 for 2) hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, but Hilo’s rally fell short.
“They got quiet, but they remained confident,” Min said.
Rydge Ishii also homered, and Midel was 3 for 3.
Tai Atkins started and took the loss, and Midel finished with 4 2/3 innings of relief.
First game
Santa Monica 022 202 — 8 8 0
Hilo 012 020 2 — 7 10 4
Second game
Hilo 108 103 1 — 14 20 1
SJ 011 202 — 6 12 3
Colt Bronco West Zone tournament: Taylor Mondina’s grand slam powered Hilo, which opened with a 14-6 victory against San Bruno, Calif., in San Jose.
Hilo (ages 15-16) plays Riverside, Calif., at 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Led by Mondina (2 for 4 double and Daylen Calicdan (three-run home run), Hilo had myriad hitting stars in back of winning pitcher Makoa Andres, who pitched six innings and eventually found his groove.
Andres allowed only four hits, but Nick Mogannam’s three-run home run staked San Bruno to a 6-3 lead.
Mondina’s slam put Hilo back in front in the fourth.
“Taylor turned the game around,” coach Eric Kurosawa said.
Bryce Felipe was 3 for 5 with a double and Gehrig Octavio, Mackenzy Maesaka, Calicdan and Andres (double) each had two hits.
Hilo 111 450 2 — 14 14 1
San Bruno 204 000 0— 6 4 2