Shon Malani’s summer travel plans just got busier. ADVERTISING Shon Malani’s summer travel plans just got busier. His Pinto All-Stars gave Hilo a third state PONY League title in four days, allowing only one hit Thursday and sweeping Maui with
Shon Malani’s summer travel plans just got busier.
His Pinto All-Stars gave Hilo a third state PONY League title in four days, allowing only one hit Thursday and sweeping Maui with a 10-0 victory in Wailuku, Maui.
“These are rottweilers,” Malani said of his 8-year-olds. “Bigger kids with some tenacity.”
Hilo advances to the World Series, which starts July 16 in San Jose, Calif. Once his work is done there, he’ll drive down to Walnut in Southern California for the Hilo Bronco 11s’ West regional, which starts July 23. They won the state title Monday.
“We’ll get it done somehow,” he said.
The Pintos previously travelled to St. Louis for a tournament, and Malani said their “big-game reps,” showed against Maui, which it beat 11-1 in Game 1 on Wednesday.
Clemson Julian pitched three hitless innings in Game 2 and Braden Gomes and Ivor Brooks followed with an inning apiece.
“(Clemson) is a pretty hard thrower and has a cutter,” Malani said. “He probably tops out in the mid-40s.”
With a distance of 38 feet from the pitching rubber to home plate, he estimated a 50 mph fastball would seem close to 90 mph thrown from 60 feet, 6 inches, the major league distance.
Brayden Malani and Jaziah O’ili, the Nos. 2-3 batters in the lineup, finished with two hits apiece for the second consecutive day. Hilo broke the game open with a five-run fifth inning to force the TKO.
Defensively, Malani credited the work of catcher Linken Batalona, who threw out two runners trying to steal in Game 1.
“At this age, you don’t expect much defensively,” Shon Malani said, “but Linken got it done.”
The team will stay in Maui and play in a coach-pitch tournament that starts Friday. Hilo has never won a state title in the division.
Other team members are Khaelan Nakapaahu, Jaiden-Lee Gabriel, Jason Mandaquit Jr., Josiah Williams, Tait Labra and Landyr Ishii. Malani is assisted by Shawn Brooks, Jason Mandaquit Sr. and Randal Ishii.
Hilo PONY teams are also on Maui for Mustang (9-10), Pony 13s and Pony (13-14) tournaments, all of which start Friday.
