Kona got the flyball it needed to hold on and stay alive, while Hilo’s flyball left it one hit short of a comeback.
From the early morning to the late afternoon Saturday, every out counted for the Big Island’s Bronco 11 teams at the state PONY League tournament at Walter Victor Stadium.
Kamrin Kam had a red-letter day with with four hits, including three doubles, and three RBIs, and Kona needed every last one to survive a frantic seventh inning and beat West Oahu 13-12.
The day was so long that Kona’s elimination game against Windward was pushed back until 9 a.m. Sunday. The winner advances to a noon matchup against Hilo, a 9-8 loser to Mililani, which reached a final that was pushed back to Monday.
Kona twice came from behind, and Kam’s two-run double in the top of the seventh seemingly put the game on ice with the All-Stars ahead 13-7.
But West Oahu stormed back in the bottom of the seventh, putting the tying run on second before James Kapela induced a flyout to center.
“A little nerve-wracking,” Kona coach Kimo Kapela said.
Kapela, a right-hander, secured all 21 outs — three via a pickoff — and also had a hit in the sixth to key a go-ahead rally.
“He knew he was going the distance,” Kimo Kapela said. “It was must-win.”
Kona coach Kimo Kapela credited former major league pitcher and pitching coach Tom House with teaching his son his deceptive pickoff move.
James Kapela saw it differently, saying, “It’s in the blood.”
Dallas Louis brought home Kam with a double of his own in the fourth, Kobe Leong hit a two-run single and Kaden Baptista had a pair of RBI singles.
Hilo trailed 9-6 until Brock Malani launched his second home run in as many days, a two-run homer in the seventh. The All-Stars put runners on second and third before Carson Kawaguchi flew out to end the game.
Coach Shon Malani lamented the early miscues that helped Mililani take a quick 5-0 lead.
“We lost that game in the first two innings with too many mental mistakes,” he said. “I can’t worry about not getting a hit late in the game.”
Kaweli Ihi doubled to spark a three-run rally that tied the game in the fifth, and she singled and scored in the third. Keamalu Baclig pitched 4 1/3 innings, and he finished with two hits, including an RBI double.
Brock Malani, who was hitting second in the lineup in part because his coach/father tried to avoid the likelihood of falling one hit short, also singled and drove in two runs.
“At this age group, it’s very even,” Shon Malani said. “We’re not the biggest team, but we have big hearts. We’re still in it.”
Mustangs 9
Hawaii Kai ended the Big Island’s two-year reign at states, sweeping Hilo with a 21-1 victory to move on to regionals.
Michael Mitsuda had a hit in each game for Hilo.
