By MATT GERHART
By MATT GERHART
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Chris Honda was only minutes removed from his game when turned his attention to watching his son, Dylan, pitch on an adjacent field at Walter Victory Stadium.
“I’m just as nervous for that one,” Honda said.
That would be the hard part. Coaching the Hilo Bronco All-Stars continues to come easy.
Hilo won its ninth consecutive game at the state PONY League Broncos tournament Friday, riding homers from Zakaia Michaels and Hanalei Warren and overpowering Kauai 10-5.
Honda took the day off from his job as a paramedic, but he got a little side work in when he tended to Kauai outfielder Lalakilla Obatake, who made spectacular catch and then crashed into the fence.
Obatake was fine, and so was Hilo after it went through the lineup once against Kauai pitcher Taylor Apilado.
“We adjusted to the pitcher,” said Michaels, who was a member of Hilo 2014 state championship team. “We can play better. We have to be ready at the beginning of the game.”
This wasn’t quite the shock and awe that Hilo displayed last year in outscoring the competition 67-9, but the All-Stars showed glimpses.
Michaels hit a two-run shot in the third, Safea Mauai followed with a double and scored, and Nainoa Kane-Yates’ run-scoring double in the fifth preceded Warren’s two-run blast to left in the fifth.
Warren also doubled as he and Kane-Yates each finished with three hits and two RBIs.
Mauai struck out four in handling the first two innings as Hilo used four pitchers. Warren worked three solid innings, Michaels struck out the side in the sixth, but Kauai’s Kanaan Ephan hit a two-run double in the seventh against Braxton Cagampang.
Honda’s message to his team was to remain humble and he wasn’t looking past Hilo’s game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday against Kona.
But he does have his eye on the big picture.
“Winning today was great, but we’re trying to get them ready for the next level,” he said. “High school is right around the corner, and, hey, maybe some can move on the college and get their education paid for.”
Broncos 11
Tobey Jackson hit a go-ahead two-run double in the seventh and Brock Malani followed with a home run as Hilo scored four times in the seventh to rally past Kona 11-7.
The game was a continuation of an ongoing rivalry between West Hawaii’s Alakai and East Hawaii’s Hui Aumukua.
Hilo returns to play either Windward or Mililani – who’s game Friday was suspended by darkness and will be continued at 8 a.m. Saturday– in a semifinal at 1 p.m. Saturday
Kedren Kinzie staked Hilo to an early lead with a home run and Malani got the final four outs after Kona fought back to tie the game.
“In the end, we came through when it counted,” assistant coach Grant Baclig said.
Kona will play either Windward or Mililani in an elimination game Saturday.
“I learned that we fight until the end,” Kona coach Kimo Kapela said. “Hilo is a very good team. Hopefully we can see them again in the final.”
While Hilo drew a first-round bye, Kona whipped Waianae 12-2 earlier Friday, getting two hits apiece from James Kapela, Dallas Louis, Ryzaiah Botelho and Noah Grace.
Mustang 9
Hawaii Kai overpowered Hilo 11-0 to open the best-of-three series.
Hilo will have to bounce back at 9 a.m. Saturday to force a decisive game at noon.