History was made and redemption was served by the Gold Coast Senior (ages 13-16) Little League softball team at the Western Regionals in Missoula, Montana on Tuesday.
With a thrilling 2-1 victory in the championship game over host Garden City (ZooTown), the Big Island all-star squad not only avenged the only blemish on its record during the tournament, but also helped erase the pain of a loss that came nearly two years ago in the title game of the Western Regionals while competing in the Majors (ages 9-12) division.
The victory in the pitcher’s duel helped the Seniors become the first team from the Big Island to reach the softball Little League World Series, which starts Monday in Delaware and runs through Aug. 5.
“The girls are really happy right now and they are just trying to enjoy the moment,” said Gold Coast head coach Jerry Hirashi. “Two years ago we took a team to San Bernardino, California but lost in the championship game. This time, the team really gelled, the defense was good, the pitching was good, and we hit.”
The bats definitely showed up for Hawaii.
Gold Coast hit an impressive .407 as a team through the Western Regionals, while compiling a 7-1 record. During a four game stretch in the tournament, the girls scored 78 runs.
“Last year we really struggled hitting, so it is something we wanted to work on,” Hirashi said. “This year we made sure to stay aggressive.”
Batting from the leadoff spot, Nanea Kaluau had a team-high .567 average. The short stop also led the team with 17 runs scored and a .600 on-base percentage.
“She was a real constant all weekend,” Hirashi said. “She started our two-run rally in the fourth inning with a hit to right-center and scored the tying run.”
Leiloa-Valerie Bustamante and Dioni Lincoln both hit over .500 for the tournament. Bustamante led the team with 15 RBIs and Lincoln had a team high six doubles.
The duo would team up in the title game to score the winning run. After Kaluau reached in the fourth, she was moved to third by a double to center from Lincoln. Kaluau scored on a ground out by Shaylann Marie Grace and then Bustamante doubled to left, bringing in Lincoln for the go-ahead run.
Defensively, Grace was the anchor in the circle, picking up the championship game victory. After allowing a run in the first inning against ZooTown, Grace settled into a rhythm and did not let more than one batter reach base in each of final six innings.
Grace allowed only five hits in seven innings against Garden City to earn the victory and lower her ERA to 1.24 in 17 innings of work. She started three games, picking up two victories, while striking out 12 and walking only three.
“She threw whatever we called,” Hirashi said. “She did her job, hit her spots and the defense backed her up.”
Semifinal comeback
The tournament nearly ended early for Gold Coast in the team’s semifinal game against Montana earlier in the day.
Hawaii trailed by two runs heading into the top of the seventh inning, but managed to push three runs across the plate for a 6-5 victory.
It was a runaway inning for Montana defensively, which helped Hawaii with an error, a walk and a hit-batter. Those three costly mistakes, along with a single by Bustamante, allowed for the Gold Coast comeback.
Montana took a 4-0 lead in the first inning off Hawaii starter Erin Kaimuloa Bates. Montana added another run in the third inning.
Hawaii kept the game close with a three runs in the second frame, setting up the comeback victory in the team’s final at-bat.
Bates left after three innings, having allowed four earned runs off eight hits.
Tehani Epenesa, who was the ace for the Majors squad that lost two years ago, entered in relief in the fourth inning and was nearly untouchable. She allowed only one hit over the next four innings, while striking out two and walking two.
Epenesa allowed only six hits in 14 innings of work for the tournament, while not allowing a single run to score. She struck out 10 and walked two.
As a team, Gold Coast finished with a 1.71 ERA.
“All of our pitchers did well,” Hirashi said.
Up next
With the victory comes all the headache of trying to figure out finances, travel schedule and other planning associated with sending a team from Hawaii to a mainland tournament. Hirashi was in the process of figuring out the next steps for the team shortly after notching the title victory.
“We need to be in Delaware this Saturday to find out who we play,” Hirashi said. “It is a pretty quick turnaround. I need to extend my vacation and I need to call the tournament director to see if we will be traveling back to Hawaii or if it is more feasible to go straight from Montana to Delaware.”
