Pearl City opened the 2010 District 7 Majors Little League Tournament with a convincing win over a tough Nanakuli team 13-3 at Pride Field in Barbers Point. Pearl City mixed a strong pitching rotation with power at the plate to move to the next round in the District 7 tourney.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Starting pitcher, Noah Abreu showed speed on the mound and power at the plate in Pearl City's opening round win over Nanakuli.
"They were pretty nervous early and then they got better as the game kind of progressed. They were swinging the bat, they were a little bit relaxed. It was a pretty good performance for the first game of the tournament," commented Pearl City Head Coach, Scot Paiva when asked to grade his teams performance.
Pearl City also displayed exceptional talent at the plate with the long ball against Nanakuli pitching. "They chose good pitches to swing at so that's the main thing. They didn't swing out of the zone and swing at junk stuff. They swung at stuff that they wanted and put good swings on good pitches and ended up with good results," said Coach Paiva.
In the top of the 1st inning Colby Hirano got things going with a lead off double. Matt Yokota followed with a ground out to 1st base moving Hirano to 3rd base. Codie Paiva stroked a double down the 3rd base line driving in Hirano for the first run of the game. Taylyn Kimura hit an RBI single scoring Paiva from 2nd base for the second run of the inning. Pearl City scored 2 runs on 3 hits in the top of the first.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Colby Hirano led off the top of the 1st inning with a double to right field.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Codie Paiva driving in Colby Hirano from 3rd base with a double for the first run of the game.
In the top of the 2nd inning, Pearl City scored 2 more runs on a homerun blast by #18 Matt Yokota.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning Nanakuli left two runners on base.
In the top of the 3rd inning, Ty Kurata got on base with an infield single. Derrick Kurihara hit a single to right field moving pinch runner Nick Au to 3rd base. Kawaiola Takemura followed with a single to right field scoring Au from 3rd base. Pearl City scored one run on two hits with two runners left on base in the top of the 3rd inning to take a 5-0 lead.
Pearl City's Matt Yokota came in relief of starting pitcher Noah Abreu in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Nanakuli scored their first run of the game from 3rd base on a pass ball. Pearl City made a pitching change bringing in Colby Hirano from 2nd base to relieve Yokota. Nanakuli's Braydon Ramaila drove in a run with an RBI single for the second run of the inning.
Nanakuli scored two runs on three hits. Nanakuli cut into Pearl City's lead 5-2 after three complete innings.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Nanakuli putting a runner in scoring position from 3rd base.
Pearl City put it all together in the top of the 4th inning scoring 5 runs highlighted by Noah Abreu's grand slam that drove in Hirano, Yokota and Paiva. Taylyn Kimura showed power of her own with a homerun in the same inning that cleared the right field fence.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Noah Abreu powers the ball over the left / center field fence for a grand slam in the top of the 4th inning to put Pearl City up 9-2 over Nanakuli.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Taylyn Kimura follows Noah Abreu's grand slam, jumping on the first pitch for a homerun over the right field fence increasing Pearl City's lead to 10-2.
In the top of the 5th inning Pearl City would once again show their power at the plate with both Matt Yokota and Codie Paiva leaving the park with homeruns. Pearl City scored three runs on two hits with no runners left on base to take a 13-2 lead entering the bottom of 5th inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Matt Yokota had a good day at the plate. Matt is pictured here taking a smooth swing at the ball.
Keanu Nicholson came in to close it out in the bottom of the 5th inning. Nanakuli scored one run before hitting into a double play to end the game. The contest ended after 5 innings due to the 10 run rule.
Final score: Pearl City 13 Nanakuli 3.
Pearl City moves on to the next round to play West Oahu on Wednesday at 10:00am. Nanakuli will play on Thursday. Opponent TBA.
Congratulations to both Pearl City and Nanakuli for great sportsmanship and spirit in today's tournament play.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]