A lineup tweak here, a wake-up call there and the Hilo Pony 13s were back in business at the state PONY League tournament.
Dayson Moses pitched a five-hitter Saturday and Cody Kunimitsu, Paul Anthony and Maui Ahuna sparked a rally as Hilo scored all of its runs in the fifth, beating Maui 6-5 to force a decisive Game 3 in Wailuku, Maui.
“We finally woke up,” said assistant coach Earl Moses.
The state title will be decided at 9 a.m. Sunday.
The constant for Hilo in the series has been pitching. Coach Bully Ahuna said Khaden Victorino pitched well Friday in a 4-2 loss in Game 1 on Friday night.
“I changed things up in the order (Saturday), and the bats came alive,” Bully Ahuna.
One of the players Ahuna inserted into the lineup was Kunimitsu. He, Anthony and Ahuna hit two-run singles in the fifth, and Dayson Moses only got stronger after his defense let him down as Maui scored four times in the first inning.
“They were late on his fastball,” Bully Ahuna said. “He pitched a great game.
“The teams are evenly matched. It’s really anybody’s game.”
Hilo’s Pony team took one on the chin in the ages 13-14 tournament, falling 17-2 to the Oahu Canefire.
“Too many errors,” coach Kekoa Martin said.
Hilo needs to win twice Sunday to stay alive, starting with a 11:30 a.m. game against a Maui team it beat Friday. The winner faces Mililani at 2 p.m.
Eric Cabais-Fernandez ripped an RBI triple and Ocean Gabonia had two hits for Hilo.
Kona lost 7-1 to Maui and was eliminated. It lost to Mililani 6-3 on Friday.
Elsewhere on a busy weekend of baseball, Hilo Pinto Gold moved to the semifinals and three other Big Island teams were ousted.
Hilo 8-year-olds could have faced Kona on Saturday, but it lost to Waianae Blue 9-6 and then bowed out of the tournament with a loss to Kauai. Kona beat Kapolei on Friday.
Hilo Grey also lost twice on Saturday, first 11-1 to Waianae Red and then to West Oahu, while Hilo Green fell to Maui to finish 0-2.
In Mustangs (9-10), Hilo was eliminated with a 7-6 loss to Maui.
Shon Malani’s Hilo Gold is looking for its second state title on the Valley Isle. It won a player-pitch series Thursday.