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The Ewa All-Stars youth baseball team powered past Tamiami of Florida, 6-3, yesterday to capture the PONY Bronco (ages 11-12) World Series in Monterey, Calif.
"We had to battle. The kids did everything. From the beginning, they worked hard," said coach Randall Wago.
Ewa erupted for five runs with two outs in the bottom of the fifth, erasing a 2-1 deficit.
Darren Gallano hit a three-run homer, giving Ewa a 4-2 lead, and Ian Kahaloa followed with a two-run homer to make it 6-2.
"I just told him (Gallano) to relax and hit his pitch instead of chasing," Wago said. "He hit it out, a line shot (left-center)."
Left-hander Dorrien Hermosura pitched a seven-inning complete game, allowing three hits and striking out six.
Dewayne "Bula" Sprinke’s third-inning homer gave Ewa a 1-0 lead. But the Florida team scored two in the top of the fifth to make it 2-1 before Ewa bounced back.
Gaston Palipti went 2-for-3 for Ewa, which has won its past 17 games while outscoring its opponents 149-25 during that span.
The Ewa team stormed through the World Series, winning all six games. It beat Puerto Rico in a quarterfinal and Chinese Taipei in the semifinals. The team also went unbeaten in winning the Oahu regional in Waianae, states in Hilo and the West Zone Tournament in Whittier, Calif.
Team members are Justin Areola, Darren Gallano, Garrison Gamil, Kainoa Ganancial, Dorrien Hermosura, Jobe Ibana, Ian Kahaloa, Christian James Laroco, Jake Mendoza, Gaston Palipti, Rusty Pascua, Dewayne Sprinkel, Chase Wago and Hugh Yamashiro. The coaches are Randall Wago, Dean Ibana, Greg Palipti and Shag Hermosura.
