There was a heroes welcome on the Big Island Wednesday afternoon, as the Hilo baseball team that captured the 2019 Pony-13 World Series Championship returned home.
Hundreds greeted the Hilo All-Stars at the Hilo International Airport after the team clinched the town’s first ever Pony 13’s world championship with a win over Johnstown, Pennsylvania in Whittier, California on Monday, 10-6, rallying from a late deficit.
Hilo’s Bubu Kawelu was the tournament’s most valuable player, hitting .400 with six RBI’s and eight runs scored in 21 at-bats.
Head Coach Shon Malani becomes the first head coach to captured a world championship for Hilo since Stacey Jarneski won it all in 2014 at the 14-u division.