The run is over. The fun is not.
The run is over. The fun is not.
Lil Soljahs bowed out of the PONY Mustang 9s World Series on Sunday night, falling to North Valley 6-0 in Walnut, Calif., after staving off elimination earlier in the day.
“They’re down,” coach Kallen Hiraishi said. “They wanted to get to the championship game, but they came up one game short.”
While the team with players from Kailua-Kona, Kohala and Waimea won’t get to play for the title Monday, Lil Soljahs will make the trip they’ve been anticipating since they won the state tournament more than a mongth ago: they’re going to Disneyland.
“They’re looking forward to that,” Hiraishi said.
On the strength of Kapaa Elarionoff’s two-run home run, Lil Soljahs routed Walnut, Calif., 15-5 in a five-inning TKO in the afternoon, setting up a rematch with North Valley (Calif.) under the lights.
Hiraishi said Lil Soljahs was excited to play at night, but it became apparent they weren’t used to the bright lights.
“It was different,” Hiraishi said.
Taven Hiraishi pitched a complete game with five strikeouts against North Valley, but Lil Soljahs managed just three hits, two by Jake Bannister, and committed four errors.
North Valley played errorless baseball and will play fellow unbeaten Santa Clarita, Calif., in the final.
“I told the kids that this is the first time a West Hawaii PONY baseball team made it this far,” Kallen Hiraishi said. “My favorite part is these kids accepted the challenge that I gave them. I asked a lot of them and the showed alot of mental toughness for 9-year-olds.
“They made me proud.”
Against Walnut, Tookie Hook struck out five in three innings pitched and was given plenty of support. Elarionoff worked two innings.
The blast by Elarionoff (2 for 4) fueled a four-run first inning, and Lil Soljahs tacked on five runs in the third to take an 11-0 lead. Lopaka Akua collected a two-run single, Hook was 2 for 4 with three RBIs and Mana Fujihara went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.
If Hiraishi’s team could win the regular-season title next season in Kailua-Kona, he’d have a chance to coach what would figure to be a veteran Mustang (9-10) team with many of these same players.
“There is a lot of talent in Kona, but hopefully we can get this team together again.” Hiraishi said.
First game
Lil Soljahs 435 03 — 15 10 2
Walnut 002 3 — 5 7 7
Second game
Lil Soljahs 000 000 — 0 3 4
North Valley 210 30x — 6 6 0