This is not coach Shon Malani’s first go-around at the PONY baseball playoffs on the mainland. Far from it.
But even Malani took time to appreciate the atmosphere Sunday under the lights in Whittier, Calif., as half the crowd cheered for Hilo while the other half rooted on Mexico.
“This is by far the most intense game I’ve been a part of as a coach,” Malani said.
And nothing is close to being decided yet as the Pony 13s World Series reaches its final day.
A rubber match is on tap Monday after Hilo beat Mexico 5-1, riding a pair of big triples and strong efforts from three pitchers.
“Our work is just beginning,” Malani said
A 10-0 victory against Houston earlier in the day was long forgotten by the time Hilo avenged a loss against Mexico.
Isaiah Justo came up big again with a two-run triple to put the Big Islanders in the lead in the fifth inning, and Loren Iwata helped the lead stand up with another clutch relief effort, then he broke the game open with a three-run triple in the sixth.
Best of all, Iwata needed just 19 pitches to get through 2 2/3 innings, keeping himself eligible to pitch Monday, when a world championship will be handed to the one of four remaining teams that can win twice.
“(The day) worked out for us better than we thought,” Malani said.
It was a dramatic day all around in Whittier for Hilo PONY. At the West Zone tournament, the Hilo Broncos were ahead 3-0 and looked poised to reach the 12-and-under World Series, but a San Diego-area team battled back to win 4-3 in eight innings.
“We gave it a run,” coach Gayne Kobayashi said. “It was awesome and a ride to remember. The team can hold their heads up high.”
Monday’s Hilo-Mexico winner – the game starts at 10 a.m. Hawaii time –will face either Redondo Beach, Calif. or Johnstown, Pa., who have business to sort out on the other side of the bracket at 1 p.m. The title game is at 4 p.m.
It was a dramatic day all around in Whittier for Hilo PONY. At the West Zone tournament, the Hilo Broncos were ahead 3-0 and looked poised to reach the 12-and-under World Series, but a San Diego-area team battled back to win 4-3 in eight innings.
“We gave it a run,” coach Gayne Kobayashi said. “It was awesome and a ride to remember. The team can hold their heads up high.”
Monday’s Hilo-Mexico winner – the game starts at 10 a.m. Hawaii time –will face either Redondo Beach, Calif. or Johnstown, Pa., who have business to sort out on the other side of the bracket at 1 p.m. The title game is at 4 p.m.
Lack of timely hitting hindered the Hilo Pony 13s in a loss to Mexico on Friday, but there no problems in that regard two day later, Malani said.
Brayden Malani had two hits.
Kolten McCallum pitched 3 2/3 innings and struck out three, allowing one run. Iwata was spotless and struck out three, and Dominic Christensen got the final two outs.
In the TKO victory against Houston, Legend Lancaster delivered four big innings, striking out for four, and Edinn Kitagawa worked a perfect fifth.
Lancaster’s spot start means ace Shane Sale-Silva is available for use however Malani sees fit Monday.
Christenson had two hits, including a double, and two RBIs, Lancaster drove in two runs and Kaohu Kawelu had two hits and two runs scored.
The Broncos suffered heartbreak.
Clemson Julian pitched four shutout innings, and Hilo went ahead 3-0 in the fifth.
Escondido, Calif, scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth, and after loading the bases in the eighth it abvanced on a sacrifice fly.
Noah Palea finished 3 for 4 with two-run double, Julian had an RBI double among his two hits, and Jaziah Oili and Neil Colobong-Juayang also had two hits.
Afterward, Kobayashi said his team was determined to try to reach the World Series again.
“It’s game on for the future,” he said. “They want to come back and represent Hawaii again.
“They did a great job this time.”