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A closer look at Honolulu, Hawaii’s, 11-1 win over Bonney Lake, Washington in five innings, on Wednesday at Lamade Stadium.
PLAY OF THE GAME: Cohen Sakamoto’s clutch triple--The game was scoreless in the bottom of the second inning when Sakamoto changed everything with one swing. With runners on first and second Sakamoto scorched his two-out triple down the left-field line and put Hawaii up, 2-0. It was an especially impressive hit because Brody Santman had struck out the last two hitters. It set the tone and Hawaii rolled from there.
HAWAII PLAYER OF THE GAME--Cohen Sakamoto: Oh yeah, he can pitch, too. Sakamoto dazzled under the Lamade Stadium lights, throwing three perfect innings and earning the win. Sakamoto struck out six, including the last four batters he faced. He pounded the strike zone as well, throwing 27 of 36 pitches for strikes. That pitch count means Sakamoto can come back and throw if called upon in Friday’s game.
WASHINGTON PLAYER OF THE GAME--Brody Santman: Washington’s ace made quite a statement in his two innings. Santman, the team’s ace this summer, struck out six in those first two innings and did not allow an earned run. He struck out the side in both innings and fanned multiple batters twice. By removing him when it did Washington also kept Santman eligible to pitch in Saturday’s game.
BIG INNING--Hawaii third: Washington was hanging tough with the potent West champions for two innings, but Hawaii broke it open in the third by scoring four times. The bench ignited the run and Hawaii scored three two-out runs that inning. Reserves Brennan Tomas, Kobe Hino and Ruston Hiyoto all reached base in succession to keep the rally going. Hino drew an RBI walk and Hiyoto followed with a two-run single which made it 6-0. Hawaii produced another four-run inning in the fifth inning, ending it early on Daly Watson’s walk-off sacrifice fly to the left field warning track.
BEST EFFORT--Hawaii’s two-out thunder: The West champions took control by consistently producing with two outs. Hawaii scored five of its first six runs with two outs. Hawaii has shown a penchant for never going down easy while playing at the Series and that tradition continued in a big way, helping it seize control in the second and third innings.
HOME RUNS: Washington’s Liam Ferguson crushed the Series first home run, driving a one-out blast over the center field fence. Ferguson picked up where he left off at the Northwest Regional where his sixth-inning home run tied that championship 2-2. His home run also broke up a perfect game after 4 1/3 innings that Sakamoto and Luke Hiromoto had combined on.
FLASHING LEATHER: Hawaii first baseman made the game’s first super play in the top of the second inning when he robbed Liam Ferguson of a potential leadoff double. Wong was playing near the line and made a shoestring snare of a liner headed toward the right-field corner. Wong then showed his tenacity a batter later, staying with a ball that bounced off his chest. Wong recovered and threw to Sakamoto who was running to cover from first and they beat Santman by a step. It looked like Luke Plyler might break up a perfect game in the fourth inning, but Hawaii shortstop Jaron Lancaster helped keep it going. Lancaster raced into the hole, stopped a harder grounder and made a snap throw to record the inning’s second out. Washington left fielder Ezra Seitz exacted a measure of revenge in the bottom of the fourth, reading a liner off Lancaster’s bat well and catching the sinking ball to prevent a hit.
WHAT THE ADULTS SAY: "My team battled. Hawaii is a tough team, but they battled every inning," Washington manager Jess Workman said. "They never gave up; they never quit. I told them I proud I was of them."
"It shows who’s really the brains behind this operation. I hope my brother hears that," said interim manager Keith Oda, whose brother Gerald could not coach Wednesday because he was in safety protocol. "I kid but, but they were prepared.
WHAT THE KIDS SAY: That was amazing (his two-run triple)," Sakamoto said. "I haven’t been hitting that good. Once I hit that ball it felt really good. I was a little nervous but then after that first pith I felt locked in and felt like I could hit."
WHAT IT MEANS: Hawaii advances on in the winner’s bracket and again will play under the lights Friday against Metro champion Massapequa, New York. Washington remains in the hunt and plays Saturday night back at Lamade against the loser of Thursday’s Indiana-Iowa game.