The Hilo Bronco All-Stars remained one step ahead of West Hawaii to stay in contention for another PONY baseball title.
The Hilo Bronco All-Stars remained one step ahead of West Hawaii to stay in contention for another PONY baseball title.
Makakoa Auwae pitched Hilo to a 4-1 victory Saturday in Lihue, Kauai, ousting its newfound friendly rival, Lil Soljahs, from the ages 11-12 state tournament, one of four being played on the Garden Isle.
The teams engaged in two spirited contests at the Big Island sectionals earlier in the month in Hilo. Hilo won each game in different fashion, rallying to win in nine innings, then holding on for another one-run victory to win the sectional.
West Hawaii beat another Hilo team 35-0 to punch its tickets to Kauai, and though it looked forward to playing the All-Stars a third time, Lil Soljahs left their bats at home, coach Kallen Hiraishi said.
“We just couldn’t hit at all this weekend,” Hiraishi said. “We didn’t hit like we did in Hilo.
“It’s a learning experience.”
He said West Hawaii left 18 runners on base in its two losses at states, including seven in a 9-5 loss to Windward (Oahu), a game that finished up Saturday morning after being suspended Friday by darkness. Quentin Hook hit a home run for West Hawaii.
Though the cast is entirely new, Hilo is three-time Bronco champion. It suffered its first state loss since 2012 on Friday when Windward powered to a 12-8 victory, but Auwae helped Hilo rebound. The All-Stars will have to win twice Sunday to reach Monday’s semifinals in the eight-team tournament.
West Hawaii’s Jonah Reich took the loss against Hilo.
The Hilo Mustang All-Stars staved off elimination in the 9-10 tournament, shutting out Oahu’s Pride 10-0 behind Noah Palea, who pitched three hitless innings and hit a grand slam. Kaohu Kawelu also homered for Hilo, which also will have to win twice Sunday to reach the semifinals of an eight-team tournament. On Friday, Hilo lost to Windward 14-7.
In Pony (ages 13-14), Hilo’s “A” team lost a 14-inning marathon 8-6 to Kauai on Saturday morning in game that had been suspended by darkness a night earlier. With little left in the tank, it was bounced from the tournament with a 7-3 loss to West Oahu later in the day.
“That’s the longest game we’ve ever played,” Hilo Gray coach Earl Moses said. “Everybody was pretty tired.”
Hilo’s “B” team lost for the first time Saturday, 12-6 to Central Oahu under the lights. Noah Ohara took the loss.
“The boys played hard until the end but just couldn’t get things going,” Hilo Blue coach Layne Nakayama said.
After failing in its first attempt to reach the semifinals, Hilo Blue hopes to win twice Sunday to stay alive, starting with a 2:30 p.m. game against West Oahu.
The Hilo Mustang 9 All-Stars already own a spot in the semifinals. Hilo Gold dug out of a hole to beat Kauai 11-4, going ahead for good during a five-run third inning. It faces West Oahu on Monday.
“Having played in a lot of big games, they are used to being behind and battling back,” coach Shon Malani said.
Jaziah Oili, Landyr Ishii and Clemson Julian each came through with multiple hits for Hilo, and Braden Gomes and Quinn Waiki each provided two seamless innings of relief in back of Brooks, the starter.
Malani’s youngsters won two state Pinto titles last year, and Waiki was the sole addition this season and fills the role of closer.
“She throws hard and has a curveball,” Malani said. “Gomes bridges the gap to Waiki.”
While Hilo Gold gets Sunday off, Hilo Silver faces Central Oahu in consolation play in the six-team tournament.