Now they know, and knowing is half the battle.
Lil Soljahs rallied to tie North Valley during a four-run sixth inning Friday before losing 9-8 in their opener at the PONY Mustang 9s World Series in Walnut, Calif.
“They showed their hearts out on the field,” coach Kallen Hiraishi said. “I told them I know they can play with these guys.”
Lil Soljahs, who draw baseball players from Kailua-Kona, Kohala and Waimea, play Garner, N.C., at 1 p.m. Hawaii time Saturday in an elimination game at the eight-team tournament.
Hiraishi said Lil Soljahs started out slow Friday and was hurt by mental errors. But just like they did when they won the state tournament in June, Lil Soljahs stormed back in their last at-bat.
“That’s our strength,” Hiraishi said.
Logan Neves, Ioane Kaaekuahiwi, Taven Hiraishi, Kupaa Elarionoff, Tookie Hook and Jake Bannister strung hits together. Bannister’s hit, his third of the game, brought in Hook with the tying run, but he was thrown out trying to take an extra base to end the inning. Lil Soljahs had two runners thrown out in the sixth.
“We had a lot of opportunities, we just couldn’t come up with the exclamation point,” Kallen Hiraishi said. “(North Valley) was really good.”
The team from Granada Hills, Calif., loaded the bases against Elarionoff in the bottom of the sixth and brought in the winning run.
Hook started and pitched two innings, and Taven Hiraishi delivered three innings of strong relief in which he allowed just one run.
Kaaekuahiwi and Hook each finished with two hits.
Garner lost 10-1 to Walnut. Saturday’s game can be watched online at walnutponybaseball.org/webcast.
Lil Soljahs reached the World Series on June 23 when they scored 13 runs in the sixth inning to beat Mililani, Oahu, in the state championship game in Hilo.
Lil Soljahs 120 104 — 8 11 4
North Valley 251 001 — 9 11 1
BRONCO WEST ZONE
The game was somewhat uncharacteristic: It went the distance and Hilo All-Stars didn’t reach double digits in the run column.
But the result was the same: The ages 11-12 team remained unbeaten at the Bronco West Zone tournament in Whittier, Calif.
Bula Ahuna pitched five strong innings, and Hilo pounded out 15 hits to beat Whittier 7-2 on Friday, advancing to the semifinals.
“It was a long game,” said coach Marvin Min, who’s used to watching Hilo Red win in TKO fashion, including a 15-2 win a day earlier. “They had a good pitcher, and he kept us off-balance.”
The same could be said of Ahuna, who shut down a Whittier club that was coming off a 19-0 win, allowing only two unearned runs and two hits. He struck out three and walked three, and then Stone Miyao struck out five in two innings.
Hilo faces Santa Monica, Calif., at 8:30 a.m. Hawaii time Saturday for a berth in Sunday’s championship game. The loser faces an elimination game later Saturday at the eight-team tournament.
“Santa Monica is a great hitting team,” Min said. “We’ve got to get the boys ice baths to rejuvenate the body for (Saturday).”
A pair of Hilo errors in the second helped Whittier take a 2-0 lead, but Min said Hilo finally started bunching hits together as it scored four times in the fourth.
Kalani Marquez finished 3 for 4 and Devin Midel racked up another mulitihit game, going 2 for 3 with two walks and a double. Maui Ahuna and Miyao each collected two hits and Bula Ahuna doubled.
Min would have liked to see his team take advantage of its myriad scoring opportunities.
“We didn’t adjust to the strike zone,” he said. “Not as good as we’ve been, but good enough to win.”
Hilo 000 401 2 — 7 15 2
Whittier 020 010 0 — 2 3 3