Hawaii eliminates Pennsylvania from the Little League World Series
The West Region team celebrate their 3-1 win over the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Brextyn Kamaha’o Hong of the West team celebrates after scoring against the Mid-Atlantic team during the first inning of the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Gauge Pacheco of the West team scores the first run of the game against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Gauge Pacheco of the West team celebrates after scoring the first run of the game against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Brextyn Kamaha’o Hong of the West team celebrates after scoring against the Mid-Atlantic team during the first inning of the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team scores after being caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team is caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team is caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The Mid-Atlantic Region fans react to a call by the home plate umpire during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Kolten Magno of the West Region team fields a ball hit by Dean Hamilton of the Mid-Atlantic team during the 4th inning during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Dean Hamilton of the Mid-Atlantic team is called out at first base as Hayden Takahashi of the West Region team makes the play during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team scores after being caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
West Region team player Kanon Nakama celebrates his team’s 3-1 win over the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The West Region team celebrate their 3-1 win over the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Brextyn Kamaha’o Hong of the West team celebrates after scoring against the Mid-Atlantic team during the first inning of the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Gauge Pacheco of the West team scores the first run of the game against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Gauge Pacheco of the West team celebrates after scoring the first run of the game against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Brextyn Kamaha’o Hong of the West team celebrates after scoring against the Mid-Atlantic team during the first inning of the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team scores after being caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team is caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team is caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
The Mid-Atlantic Region fans react to a call by the home plate umpire during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Kolten Magno of the West Region team fields a ball hit by Dean Hamilton of the Mid-Atlantic team during the 4th inning during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Dean Hamilton of the Mid-Atlantic team is called out at first base as Hayden Takahashi of the West Region team makes the play during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
Can Kaneshiro of the West Region team scores after being caught in a run down between third and home plate during the 5th inning against the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. The West Region team won 3-1. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
West Region team player Kanon Nakama celebrates his team’s 3-1 win over the Mid-Atlantic team during the game Tuesday afternoon at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport. DAVE KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette
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A closer look at 3-1 Maui, Hawaii win over Newtown, Pennsylvania, Tuesday at Lamade Stadium
PLAY OF THE GAME -- Kanon Nakama's game-ending strikeout: Pennsylvania fought hard, cutting into a three-run deficit while putting the tying runners on base in the sixth inning. Nakama, however, remained calm. After throwing a ball to the next batter, he came roaring back and threw consecutive strikes before two pitches were fouled off. He then ended the game with his strikeout and secured Hawaii a place among the country's top four teams.
HAWAII PLAYER OF THE GAME -- Evan Tavares: He did it again. The left-handed ace threw his latest masterpiece in a summer filled with them. Tavares improved to 3-0 at the Series, scattering three hits in 5 2/3 dominant innings, while striking out 12. In three Series performances, Tavares has allowed just five hits and struck out 28 in 13 1/3 innings. After stranding two first-inning runners, Tavares went into overdrive and retired nine straight batters from the second through fourth innings, striking out six consecutive hitters at one point. After Tavares reached his pitch limit, Kanon Nakama earned the save, producing a game-ending strikeout with the tying runs on base.
PENNSYLVANIA PLAYER OF THE GAME -- Sav Longo: A dominant pitcher himself all summer, Longo also swings a powerful bat. He delivered one last time Tuesday, going 1 for 1 and drawing a walk. Longo also broke up a run of nine straight outs when he led off the fifth inning with a sharp single. Ryan Uhl also provided a spark and hit a one-out double to deep right field in the sixth inning.
BIG INNING--Hawaii first: Tavares has not allowed an earned run the entire summer, so Pennsylvania knew runs would be hard to come by. That was why Hawaii scoring twice in the bottom of the second was so huge. A two-run deficit against a pitcher like Tavares can feel much bigger and Hawaii had Pennsylvania playing uphill from that point forward. Gauge Pacheco ignited the rally with a walk and Brextyn Kamaha;o Hong singled before Kanon Nakama plated the first run with a sacrifice fly. After Hayden Takahashi drew a two-out walk, he and Hong perfectly executed a two-out double steal. Nakama broke for second and as soon as the catcher threw that way to try and get the third out, Hong broke for home. Both easily beat the throws and Hawaii led 2-0.
BEST EFFORT--Pennsylvania's sixth-inning rally: Despite facing a three-run deficit and Tavares, Pennsylvania remained confident and put the pressure on. After Uhl doubled, Will Siveter built on the momentum and hit an RBI single. Tyler Wexler then fought off two, two-strike pitches and drew a walk, putting the tying runners on base and flipping the lineup. Kanon Nakama, however, clinched the win when he produced a game-ending strikeout. Still, the Mid-Atlantic champions went down fighting and showed the character which brought them so far this season.
FLASHING LEATHER--Hawaii right fielder Gauge Pacheco shined in left field early in Monday's game and showed he is equally terrific in right field when he shut down a first inning threat in spectacular fashion. Pacheco showed his speed and fearlessness as he ran into foul territory and made a super catch, holding onto the ball while hitting the wall and stranding two runners. Pennsylvania shortstop Dean Hamilton took his turn in the defensive spotlight two innings later. Hamilton saved a run in the process. Brextyn Kamaha'o Hong hit a sharp grounder up the middle which looked like it would score a two-out run. Instead, Hamilton raced behind the bag, planted himself and threw a laser to first baseman Brody Gage and ended the a threat with two runners on. In the next inning it was Hawaii shortstop Kanon Nakama's turn to show off his glove work. Nakama made a good scoop on a well-hit Tyler Neeld grounder while on the move and his snap throw completed another Tavares 1-2-3 inning. Keeping the theme going, Hamilton did it again in the bottom of the inning. And again, he saved a run. This time, a runner was on second when Hamilton went to his left and made a spectacular lunging catch on a wicked Kellen Takamura liner. Hamilton caught the ball a few inches before it hit the ground and went into left-center field.
WHAT THE ADULTS SAY--"It's a 3-1 game against the West and I guarantee you everybody coming here didn't think Mid-Atlantic had a shot. That's what we do," Pennsylvania manager Brad Hamilton said of his team's rally. "The message was we've been there before. We've been down 9-1 and come back to win games 10-9. It's not something we're unsure of."
"If the boys throw strikes and the bats wake up, we'll be hard to beat," Hawaii manager Daniel Bolduc said. "Every team here is here for a reason. Every team is going to be tough throughout this tournament."
WHAT THE KIDS SAY--"I just had to throw strikes and let the defense work," Nakama said. "It (experience) helps because I was in it before and I know how to get out of it."
WHAT IT MEANS--Hawaii won its third Series game and stays alive at the Series, moving onto the U.S. Final 4. The West champions have a quick turnaround and play again Wednesday against the winner of Tueday night's New York-Florida game. Pennsylvania concluded its sensational run, finishing among the country's top six teams. Pennsylvania won two Series games, entered the Series with a U.S.-high 18 wins and finished the all-star season 20-2.