Pearl City Juniors reach U.S. title game
| • | Hawai'i youth baseball World Series schedules |
By James Briggs
Special to The Advertiser
TAYLOR, Mich. — Most numbers suggest Pearl City should have been eliminated days ago from the Junior League World Series.
Since play began Sunday, Pearl City has begun only three innings out of 28 with the lead. It has scored first once in four games. It left 12 runners on base yesterday in a game against South Bend, Ind.
Yet Pearl City's improbable 5-1 victory over Indiana marked the team's third win and secured a spot in the United States final today against El Campo, Texas. The winner will play tomorrow in the championship game.
"The baseball gods are smiling on us," Pearl City manager Mitchell Yamato said.
Pearl City finally scored first against Indiana when Robert Brown led off the game with a double and scored on a single by Kala Neal. But Indiana tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning.
Pearl City left the bases loaded three times — including the second inning when it failed to score after loading the bases with no one out —but finally reclaimed the lead in the sixth on a bunt-single by Keanu Sato that scored A.J. Johnson.
"I was just trying to get it down for the team, so we could score another run for (pitcher) Kahana Neal and give him confidence," Sato said.
Justin Protacio then walked with the bases loaded, giving Pearl City a 3-1 lead in the sixth.
Pearl City added two more in the seventh — including another RBI-single for Sato —and Neal set down Indiana in order for the win.
Neal pitched a complete game, allowing five hits.
"For him, I expect that every time," Yamato said. "Ever since he was 9 years old, he's been a big-game pitcher."
Pearl City plays El Campo, Texas, for the second time today. In the first meeting, Pearl City lost, 9-0. But since then, Pearl City has won each of the last three games.
"We're finding ways (to win)," Yamato said.
El Campo (3-1) defeated North Cumberland, N.J., 10-0, yesterday.
Coquivacao (4-0) of Maracaibo, Venezuela, plays Guaymas Sector Pesca (2-2) of Guaymas Sonora, Mexico, for the International championship today.
The U.S. and International winners play in the World Series championship game tomorrow.
