The Hilo Broncos All-Stars heard those five words so many coaches have tirelessly preached over and over again: one game at a time.
Who says kids don’t listen?
The 12-and-under baseball team obviously got the message Tuesday and strongly enough to use it twice. First, Hilo fought off elimination for the fourth consecutive game, and then it finished the deal, sweeping Kauai, 12-5 and 16-6, to claim the state PONY League tournament in Manoa, Oahu.
“The were upbeat and just the mood of the team, you could tell something was in the air,” coach Gregg Hirata said.
Hilo has accounted for four of the past five state champions in the 12U division and five of seven dating back to 2011, but all those previous teams won at the friendly confines of Walter Victor Stadium, and none had to win twice on the final day of the tournament.
“We told them not to get caught up in the moment,” Hirata said, “and that’s just what they did.”
In the morning, Salvatore Martino struck out 10, Mason Hirata banged out four hits and Journey Leialoha hit his fourth home run of the tournament. In the winner-take-all, Kedren Kinzie and Dylan Hanson homered and Devin Saltiban’s third hit, a triple in the fifth, secured the TKO.
In the second game, Hilo bounced back against a Kauai pitcher that stifled the All-Stars on Saturday, using a fastball and a curveball to weave a two-hitter in an 11-0 loss.
Hilo was never touched again, outscoring the competition 70-18 in its last five games to earn a berth to West Zone, which runs June 27-30 in Whittier, Calif.
“We just told them to rely on their hitting skills,” Gregg Hirata said. “Hitting was contagious.”
Jacob Gomes added three hits in the clincher, finishing the seven-game tournament with four home runs, Mason Hirata and Kinzie had three apiece as well, and Kaohu “Bubu” Kawelu and Jarrett Tulang each had two. On the mound, Saltiban and Hanson combined to strike out five.
Kinzie and Leialoha each collected two hits in the first game, which Gomes finished on the mound striking out two.
Kauai won last year as the host team, ending Hilo’s bid for a fourth consecutive title. The majority of this year’s All-Stars were drawn from coach Shon Malani’s Hui Aumukea club team.
This was the first Bronco state tournament since 2010 that the host island didn’t produce the winner, but Hirata said Hilo won fans over along the way.
“They became crowd favorites with their friendly nature and smiles,” he said. “The kids are really playing together well, and the team chemistry is awesome.”
And they pay attention.
On the team are: Higen Hatayama, Landon Criste, Dylan Hanson, Kaohu “Bubu” Kawelu, Jake Gomes, Isaiah Nakapaahu, Mason Hirata, Salvatore Martino, Elijah Igawa, Dayson Akimseu, Journey Leialoha, Kedren Kinzie, Hekili Robello, Devin Saltiban and Jarrett Tulang. The coaches are Gregg Hirata, Chad Criste and Jay Igawa. While 11 players came from Hui Hui Aumukea, three were from the Lincoln Wreckers and one was from New Hope.
Monday: Among the three Hilo teams to be eliminated Monday were the Hilo Mustangs, who had the potential tying run thrown out at home plate in the fifth inning of an 8-7 loss to West Oahu.
The 10-and-under team was looking to win a state tournament for the third consecutive season, but it was derailed by its second one-run loss to West Oahu the past three days in Hawaii Kai.
“We fell behind 5-0 in the first inning, fought back, but just couldn’t muster it,” coach Shon Malani said. “The run is over, but that’s baseball.”
Elijah Okano powered Hilo with two home runs, finishing with three hits, Quinn Waiki homered with two hits and Brayden Malani also collected two hits.
