Pearl City is one win away from a championship game match up with Waipio after beating Kawaihau 6-3 on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 in the Hawaii Little League 10-11 State Championship Tournament being held at Aikahi Elementary School in Kailua.
Standing in Pearl City's way to the championship is a tough MKH team that is ready for the challenge. The two ball clubs will take to the Aikahi Diamond on Wednesday, June 22 at 4:00pm. The winner will have their hands full with the task of beating Waipio twice on Thursday for the tournament championship. Both Pearl City and MKH have one loss in the double elimination tournament.
Brannon Liu earned the win for Pearl City on Tuesday. Kade Kupuihea took the loss for Kawaihau.
On Tuesday, Pearl City put together a four run top of the second inning to take a 4-0 lead. Pearl City's, Mason Cordero led off the second inning with a single into left field. #2 Kanoa Meredith came into the game to pinch run for Cordero. Next batter, Pearl City starting pitcher, #5 Brannon Liu layed down a bunt single that allowed Meredith to score from first base on a couple Kawaihau throwing errors. Next batter, #21 Marcus Boyles got on first base with a bunt that forced out Liu at second base. #20 Jzayven Moreno stepped up to the plate and hit a single to left field that moved to Boyles to second base. #9 Hunter Robello loaded the bases with an infield single. #15 Kawika Akutagawa came in to pinch hit for Darian Obara. Kawaihau made a pitching change, bringing in #14 Makana Still from second base with one out. Still walked Akutagawa scoring Boyles from third base for the second run of the inning. Obara enterd the game to pinch run for Akutagawa. Next batter, #1 Sam Prentice struck out for the second out. #10 Kahiau Anderson hit a 2 RBI single to right field to put Pearl City up 4-0. Anderson advanced to second base on a steal. #18 Alihikaua Rodrigues walked to load the bases. Cordero struck out to end the inning with the bases loaded. In the inning, Pearl City scored four runs on three hits.
In the bottom of the second inning, Kawaihau cut the Pearl City lead to 4-2 on a 2 RBI double to center field by #7 Laakea Aikau with two outs that scored Makana Stiil from third and Keona Nakamura from second. In the inning, Kawaihau scored two runs on three hits.
In the top of the third inning, Pearl City had no runs, no hits and left two runners on base. In the inning, Kawaihau made a pitching change, bringing in #11 from left field in relief of #14 Makana Still.
Kawaihau added another run in the bottom of the third inning to pull within one run at 4-3. Kupuihea led of the inning with an infield single. Kupuihea got picked off at first base for out number one. Next batter, #11 Moi Widrig got on base with a double. #42 Leipua Kaui hit a hard liner to Cordero at third base that was bobbled allowing Kaui to get on first base, advanceding Widrig to third base. Next batter, #21 Bryson Poai hit an RBI single that scored Widrig from third. Pearl City made a pitching change, bringing in #21 Marcus Boyles from second base in relief of Brannon Liu with two outs. Liu moved to shortstop. Boyles struck out the next batter for the third out.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning.
Pearl City added another run in the top of the fifth inning on a bases loaded RBI single by Darian Obara that scored Boyles from third base. Kawaihau made a pitching change bringing in Kaui from first base in relief of Widrig with one out. Widrig moved to left field. Kaui struck the next batter, Sam Prentice for out number two. Kahiau Anderson popped out to second base for the third out. In the inning, Pearl City scored one run on three hits with two runners left on base. Pearl City led 5-3 going to the bottom of the fifth inning.
Boyles put down Kawaihau batters in order in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Mason Cordero put Pearl City up 6-3 with a solo homerun blast over the center field fence in the top of the sixth inning.
Boyles held Kawaihau batters in check in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
#11 Moi Widrig pictured hitting a double in the third inning against Pearl City. Widrig would later score in the inning from third base on an RBI single by Bryson Poai.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
#21 Marcus Boyles throwing strikes in relief for Pearl City against Kawaihau.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
#22 Mason Cordero pictured hitting a 6th inning solo homerun to put Pearl City up 6-3 over Kawaihau.
@ Aikahi Elementary School
Pearl City 0 4 0 0 1 1 6
Kawaihau 0 2 1 0 0 0 3
WP Brannon Liu
LP Kade Kupuihea