Every time West Side made a nice little comeback, a painful error let in another unearned run — the ballclub’s tale of woe on Sunday.
Central Maui didn’t really need all the extra help to eliminate West Side 8-5 at the Junior (ages 13-14) Little League tournament at Walter Victor Complex.
But the Valley Isle welcomed the Big Island’s generosity (five errors for five unearned runs) with open arms.
At least, West Side went down fighting and swinging, even if nine runners were stranded, including the sacks full in the fifth and seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh, West Side figured out Maui reliever Kaimana Benjamin, a short-armer, who retired the side in the sixth with his sinking curveballs.
With one out, Kobe Kaaekuahiwi singled, Bronson Rivera was hit by a pitch and Jason Alani Jr. walked.
Isaac Kaku hit a ball to short, which was booted for an error and a run. A batter later, Zayden Tolentino leveled his swing and drilled an RBI single to left.
Benjamin got a grounder for the final out in his 1 2/3 innings of work. Konnor Palmeira pitched 5 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run for the win.
“We didn’t give up. We had our chance in the last inning,” West Side coach Jerry Hiraishi said. “But we had five errors and that was five runs.”
Maui had its own issues with defense as well. Three errors led to three unearned runs.
Kaku started, went six frames and took the loss. He gave up five runs, two unearned. Kaaekuahiwi went one inning and gave up three unearned runs.
Entering the top of the seventh, Maui led 5-3. Then when the inning started, things went downhill from there for West Hawaii, whose catcher had a rough day.
Isaiah Duarte led off with a single, stole second, then went to third on a passed ball. He also scored on a passed ball for a 6-3 lead. Maui also went 5 of 5 on steal attempts.
But on the bright side, Duarte was the only one to pair hits.
Most of the Central Maui players will attend Maui High, Baldwin or Kamehameha-Maui, where the top three players (Duarte, Palmeira and catcher Jordan Mitsumura) will attend, according to coach Shawn Catiel.
Kaku allowed four hits and Kaaekuahiwi only Duarte’s single.
Kaaekuahiwi and Alani each paired hits and Jamison Medeiros had two RBIs to lead West Side’s seven-hit attack.
West Hawaii went 0-2 in the tourney, but Hiraishi looked for a silver lining.
“It’s a good experience for them. A lot of the kids have never made an all-star team before,” he said. “It’s exposure for kids who are going into high school. Most of them are going to either Konawaena or Kealakehe.”
Slow rebuild
Last year, Waimea hosted the state Majors (ages 11-12) Little League tournament.
That’s the age division where ABC televises the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa., where Oahu’s Waipio won it all in 2008.
This year is the first time Hilo has hosted a state Little League tournament since 2009. Back then, Wong Stadium was host to the state Big League (ages 16-18) tourney.
The last and most talent-packed Hilo team to win the Little League World Series was the Senior (ages 14-16) ballclub in 2011.
That powerhouse featured three MLB farmhands in Kodi Medeiros, Quintin Torres-Costa, and Kean Wong, and 10 ballplayers who played college ball, including Chayce Ka‘aua (UH-Manoa).
For those wondering if a Hilo team will return to glory at state Little League tournaments (in any division) and advance to regionals and the World Series, the short answer is not anytime soon.
Since District IV (Big Island) lost its administrator position and fell under District III or Maui’s umbrella, a mass exodus of players headed to PONY baseball.
In 2013, it was the first time in Hilo’s Little League history three divisions — Junior, Senior, and Big League — fielded no teams. It was the same thing in 2014.
The Big Island got its District IV administrator position and independence back in the middle of 2015.
None of Hiraishi’s West Side players play PONY ball, also a far more popular choice over Little League on Maui.
Biggest struggle
If a Hilo ballplayer participates in Little League and PONY, that player is restricted from playing on a PONY all-star team, which competes at state or regional tourneys.
That’s the main reason Hilo’s regrowth in Little League is being stunted, unlike Maui, which has cooperation between the two leagues.
Central Maui coach Catiel has two PONY ballplayers on his Junior Little League all-star team.
If both age-group teams Junior and Pony (13-14 age division is the same name as the league) advance to regionals, the Maui players have freedom of choice which team they want to play on.
“I coach for Pony, too. They can choose,” he said. “Right now, PONY is stronger than Little League on Maui. I’ve been coaching 10 or 11 years and been on both sides.
“There’s cooperation between the two leagues. I don’t have a kid the team. My thing is I want to see the kids on the field either PONY or Little League than out on the street. That’s why I coach.”