There were six Hilo PONY Baseball All-Star teams scattered across Oahu on Friday for the start of state tournament play, and three of them were triumphant.
Shon Malani coaches or assists with two of those teams, but he was able to watch one.
In Hawaii Kai, Ivor Brooks hit a home run and pitched an inning and Brayden Malani collected three doubles as the Hilo Mustangs beat Maui 11-1 as the ages 9-10 team tries to win its fourth state tournament.
“The kids got in there and flat out came out hitting and the pitchers threw strikes,” Shon Malani said.
Noah Palea started and pitched two innings, Jaziah Oili worked an inning of the four-inning TKO win and Quinn Waiki also finished with three hits.
Malani couldn’t make the Hilo Broncos’ opener in Manoa, but the ages 11-12 team took care of business with a 9-5 victory against East Oahu. Mason Hirata finished 3 for 4 with a double and Jacob Gomes ripped a home run with two hits.
“The team was really upbeat and the team chemistry is awesome,” coach Gregg Hirata said.
Salvatore Martino struck out eight in four innings, and Devin Saltiban doubled among his two hits. Elijah Igawa and Kedren Kinzie also had two hits and Journey Leialoha hammered a double to fence. Also on the mound, Gomes pitched two innings and Hekili Robello struck out two in a inning of work.
“We play a tough Kauai team (Saturday),” Hirata said.
Malani will be able to coach in that 3:30 p.m. game after he coaches the Mustangs at 8 a.m.
Thanks to a weird draw at the Pony (13-14) tournament over in Kapolei, two Hilo teams faced off, with Royal Blue beating Blue 13-3.
Winning pitcher Braxton Cagampang drove in four RBIs with two doubles, and Kahiau Vincent (two RBIs) and Ku’e Martin each had two hits.
While Hilo Royal Blue gets a day off before playing again Sunday, Hilo Blue faces an elimination game Saturday.
Also facing elimination games Saturday are the Hilo Bronco 11s and Hilo Mustang 9s, who both lost Friday.
In Hawaii Kai, the Bronco 11s fell to Waianae (Oahu) 11-6, and the Mustang 9s lost 15-9 to Waianae.
