Waipio won a thriller over Pearl City 9-5 on Monday, July 5 to claim the 2011 Hawaii Little League District 7 Juniors Championship before a packed and spirited house at Hans L ‘Orange Field in Waipahu.
It was the third meeting between the two teams in the District 7 championship tournament. Waipio defeated Pearl City 8-6 on Saturday, July 2. Pearl City came back on Monday, July 4th and blanked Waipio 6-0. Last night, Pearl City had a 5-2 lead after five complete innings before Waipio put across seven unanswered runs in the last two innings to capture the championship.
“The kids played with a lot of heart,” said Waipio Manager, Brian Yoshii. “They never gave up. This was the third time we played Pearl City in the tournament. A lot of credit has to also go out to our coaches, coach Akau and coach Heleski. They play a big role in our success."
Experience is a key component for the team’s success so far in tournament play in 2011. “We have 10 of 13 players on our team from last years Little League World Series team,” Yoshii said.
Waipio won the 2010 United States Little League Championship Title in the Majors Division and finished runner-up to Japan in the International Little League World Series Championship game.
Waipio moves on to next week’s Hawaii Little League Juniors State Tournament at Kailua High School from July 15-20.
Last night’s contest opened with both teams putting up single runs in the first inning.
In the top of the first inning, Waipio scored on an RBI single by #42 Taylor Apana-Purcell off of Pearl City starting pitcher, Codie Paiva that drove in #22 Noah Shackles from third base.
Pearl City got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning after #21 Brandon Henderson stroked a triple off of Waipio starter, Noah Shackles and later scored on a groundout by Paiva.
Pearl City put two more runs on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth inning. With bases loaded, #3 Makoa Mau scored from third base on a pop up by #6 Pono Anderson. #25 Jake Bactista scored from third on a sac bunt from #15 Colby Hirano. Pearl City led Waipio 3-1 after four complete innings.
Waipio closed within one, 3-2 in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single by #10 Jason Komoda that scored #4 Shiloh Baniaga from third base.
Pearl City got some breathing room in the bottom of the fifth inning, adding two more runs. #33 Jordan Yamamoto led off the inning with a double to deep left field. Waipio made a pitching change, bringing in #35 Ezra Heleski in relief of Shackles. Makoa Mau drilled a triple to right field off of Heleski with two outs that scored Yamamoto from second base. #18 Matt Yokota hit an RBI double to right field that scored Mau from third base. Pearl City went up 5-2 after five complete innings.
Waipio came right back, scoring two runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull within one run at 5-4. Dane Kaneshiro pounded a double to left center field with one out that scored Shackles from second base. Waipio brought in #8 Matt Campos to pinch run for Kaneshiro. Campos scored Waipio’s second run of the inning on a throwing error to first base by Pearl City third baseman, Brandon Henderson.
In the top of the seventh inning Waipio made their move, scoring five runs after trailing Pearl City 5-4 entering the inning. Lead off batter, #35 Ezra Heleski got on base with a bunt. Next batter #10 Jason Komoda layed down a sacrifice bunt moving Heleski to second base. Heleski advanced to third base on a steal. Noah Shackles drove in Heleski from third with an RBI single to left field that tied the game at 5-5. #42 Taylor Apana-Purcell hit a single past the Pearl City shortstop into left field advancing Shackles to second base. Pearl City made a pitching change, bringing in #11 Noah Abreu from first base in relief of Paiva who moved to third base. Runners advanced on a pass ball at the plate. Waipio had runners on second and third with one out. Abreu walked #27 Dane Kaneshiro loading the bases. Pearl City made another pitching change, sending Abreu back to first base and bringing in #6 Pono Anderson from shortstop to the mound. Next batter #24 Ke’olu Ramos hit a high pop up to center field that was dropped allowing Shackles to score the go ahead run from third. Waipio had a 6-5 lead with bases loaded and one out. Anderson walked in the Apana-Purcell from third to put Waipio up 7-5. Next batter, #4 Shiloh Baniaga hit an RBI single to left field scoring Kaneshiro from third. Waipio went up 8-5. Next batter, #5 Kaho’ea Akau hit an RBI sac fly to left field that scored Ramos from third. Heleski grounded out for the third out of the inning. Waipio took a 9-5 lead to the bottom of the seventh inning.
Pearl City left two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh inning to end the game.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
#21 Brandon Henderson scored Pearl City's first run in the bottom of the first inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
#6 Pono Anderson brought in Makoa Mau from third base on a fly out in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Waipio's Jason Komoda pictured driving in Shiloh Baniaga from third base in the top of the fifth inning to pull within one run at 3-2.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Ezra Heleski touches home plate to tie the score at 5-5 off of an Noah Shackles RBI single in the top of the 7th inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Noah Shackles scores the go ahead run in the top of the seventh inning. Waipio led 6-5 on the play. Waipio would score three more runs in the inning.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Waipio players start their championship celebration after the last out on Tuesday.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Congratulations to Waipio!
2011 Hawaii Little League District 7 Junior Champions!
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Congratulations to the Pearl City team, Manager Scot Paiva and Coach Concepcion and Coach Miller for a great tournament!
@ Hans L ‘Orange Field in Waipahu
Waipio 1 0 0 0 1 2 5 9
Pearl City 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 5
WP Heleski
LP Paiva