The Big Island was well represented in the Bronco division championship at the 16th annual Kona PONY Memorial Day baseball tournament at Old Airport Park on Monday — Alakai representing the west, and Hui Aumakua Red the east.
Hui Aumakua proved to be too much offensively for the Kona squad, winning 7-2 and taking home the title at the prestigious holiday tournament.
Both teams took on some tough challengers to reach the tourney title game. Hui Aumakua, playing out of Hilo, opened the tourney with a win over Aiea Wolf Pack. They defeated the Waiakea Pirates in the quarterfinals and topped the Lil’ Soljahs in a semifinal game. Alakai — based out of Kailua-Kona — defeated the Oahu Prospects in the opening round and followed that up with wins over Hilo RBI and Waiakea Uka.
“Throughout the year the kids developed and got better,” Hui Aumakua coach Chris Honda said. “Alakai is an excellent ball club and a classy team. We really meshed and played well as a team. It was a long weekend but the team did great.”
The Hilo squad jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning off Alakai starter Keyshawn Lorenzo.
With one out, Zakaia Michaels tripled to left for the first hit of the game. Safea Mauai singled to right and moved to second on an error, scoring the runner. He stole third and scored on a groundout to the pitcher. Kobe Kagimoto doubled to left-center and Blake Moniz single to left. The ball got behind the fielder, allowing both runners to score.
Alakai fought back with two runs in the top of the second inning. Kaden Baptista led off with a a walk and catchers interference allowed Kamrin Kam to reach base after hitting a grounder to second. With two outs, Ryzaiah Botelho singled up the middle, scoring both runners.
The Kona squad made a pitching change to start the bottom of the second inning, bringing in Bronson Rivera. Rivera shut down Hui Aumakua for the next two innings but Alakai could not generate any offense off Hilo’s starter Mauai and Michaels, who relieved the starter with one out in the third inning.
Hui Aumakua added a run in the fifth inning and two in the sixth. In the fifth Kagimoto blooped a single over the first baseman’s head. He moved to third on a single to center by Moniz and scored in a single to center by Braxton Cagampang. In the seventh, Kalai Rosario walked and Hanalei Warren hit an inside-the-park home run into the right-center field gap.
Cagampang came in to close the game in the top of the seventh. He forced two groundouts and struck out a batter.
Mauai took the win. He allowed one run off one hit in 2 1/3 innings of work. He struck out four and walked two. Lorenzo received the loss after allowing four runs off five hits. He was also hurt by two defensive miscues.
Next up for both ball clubs will be the Bronco postseason, which Hui Aumakua will host. Ten of 11 players from Monday’s championship squad made the postseason roster.
Alakai 020 000 0 — 2 2 2
Hui Aumakua 400 012 x — 7 9 0
Mustang Championship
Hilo RBI snever looked back in the Mustang championship, racing out to a 6-0 lead and coasting to a 9-3 over the Wailuku Phillies from Maui.
Kaikua Kokubun picked up the victory, throwing three innings. DJ Pacheco took the loss.
Devin Garza was unstoppable on the base path for RBI, stealing four bases. He reached base twice on a pair of singles to right field.
RBI 610 101 — 9 11 1
Wailuku 010 200 — 3 4 4
