LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES : Home runs help Hawaii, Japan
Posted on Thursday, August 21, 2008
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — The boys from Waipahu, Hawaii, dig the long ball.
Iolana Akau homered in his first action since getting hit by a pitch, and Pikai Winchester went deep twice as Hawaii moved on at the Little League World Series with a 9-4 victory Wednesday night over Mill Creek, Wash.
Next stop for the hitting Hawaiians: the U. S. finals on Saturday.
Tokyo clinched a berth in the international finals by beating Willemstad, Curacao, 11-4. The matchups in both brackets won’t be set until after tonight’s games.
It looks as though Akau will be suiting up for the finals no matter the opponent. He played his first game since getting hit in the left elbow Friday, and he wore a padded sleeve on the arm during his first at-bat for added protection.
Akau didn’t miss a beat.
With Hawaii trailing 2-0, Tanner Tokunaga tied the game in the bottom of the first with a two run-home run to left. Later, Winchester reached on an error to bring up Akau, whose home run on a 1-2 pitch from Derrick Mahlum rattled off the brick wall just beyond the center-field fence.
Akau couldn’t hide his glee, pumping his right arm high in the air several times as he circled the bases.
“When I got to bat I was kind of nervous. I didn’t get a hit because I got beaned the first time,” said Akau, who had an ice pack on his sore arm. “I just tried to get a base hit and it just came.” Winchester added to the barrage with opposite-field home runs in the third and fourth, both clearing the wall in the left-field corner. The second home run gave Hawaii a 9-4 lead. Iolana Akau of Waipahu, Hawaii, hit a home run in his first at-bat during Hawaii’s 9-4 victory over Mill Creek, Wash. Akau hadn’t played after being hit by a pitch Friday.
Winchester has three home runs and eight RBI in the tournament. The 12-year-old slugger was asked if this was a dream come true.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he said, laughing nervously before each word.
Washington had taken a 2-0 lead with two outs in the first on Alex Jondal’s two-strike single to left. The 12-year-old catcher has become Washington’s “Mr. Clutch” after having driven in the tying and winning runs in identical situations in a 3-2 victory over Indiana on Tuesday that sent the team to the semis.
But after avoiding elimination in its previous two games, Mill Creek’s magical run ended. Washington stranded 11 runners Wednesday.
In the early game, Japan fell behind 3-1 when nerves affected the control of starter Takumi Ozeki.
Then Japan’s offense got going. Shodai Mizuno and Akihiro Takeuchi reached base after getting hit by pitches by Curacao starter Junters Dosset in the second — two of six hit batsmen in the game for Japan.
It set up Ryohji Kimura’s oneout home run to center field that allowed Japan to take a 4-3 lead against Curacao, which was eliminated. Takeuchi was so excited by Kimura’s home run, he kept turning around and smiling at his teammate while they rounded the bases.
Kimura, barely breaking a smile afterward, said he got batting tips from coaches earlier Wednesday. Ozeki followed three batters later with another three-run home run, this one into the hedges beyond left field.
On the mound, Ozeki allowed a three-run home run to Tivon Faneyte in the first but settled down the next four innings, retiring 12 in a row at one point before Mizuno came on to get the game’s final out.
Japan also benefited from 11 wild pitches by Curacao pitching, including seven by Juremi Profar. At a glance At South Williamsport, Pa.
SEMIFINALS WEDNESDAY’S GAMES At Lamade Stadium International Tokyo 11, Willemstad, Curacao 4 United States Waipahu, Hawaii 9, Mill Creek, Wash. 4 TODAY’S GAMES All times Central International Matamoros, Tamaulipas vs. Maracaibo, Venezuela, 3 p.m. United States Lake Charles, La. vs. Tampa, Fla., 7 p.m. FRIDAY’S GAMES Rain day, no games scheduled SATURDAY’S GAMES International championship — Tokyo vs. Mexico-Latin America winner, 11: 30 a.m. U. S. championship, 2: 30 p.m. SUNDAY’S GAMES Third Place At Volunteer Stadium U. S. runner-up vs. International runner-up, 11 a.m. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP At Lamade Stadium International champion vs. U. S. champion, 2: 30 p.m.
FEEDBACK:
Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online
