SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Waipi'o scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning — highlighted by a two-run double by Tanner Tokunaga — to rally past Lake Charles, La., 7-5, for the United States title and a berth in the championship game of the Little League World Series.

Waipi'o (6-0) will face Mexico for the World Series championship at 9:30 a.m. Hawai'i time tomorrow. Mexico beat Japan for the International division title, 5-4. Hawai'i's only other World Series championship was by West O'ahu in 2005.

Waipi'o trailed 5-1 entering the sixth before its dramatic rally.

When asked what was said in the dugout, Waipi'o's Pikai Winchester said, "Just keep our heads up. Win or lose at least we'll try our best."

And they did.

Tokunaga started the rally off reliever Gunner Leger with a single, and Winchester followed with a ground-rule double to put runners on second and third. Iolana Akau's single drove in Hawai'i's first run of the inning to cut it to 5-2.

Khade Paris drove in a run on a groundout and Caleb Duhay added an RBI single for two more runs.

Four batters later, Christian Donahue came up with two outs and the bases loaded and lined a hard grounder that Leger, who had moved to first, misplayed to score Duhay.

That set up Tokunaga's go-ahead double, which just slipped under shortstop Kennon Fontenot's glove and made its way to the warning track to score Jedd Andrade and Keelen Obedoza. Hawai'i's frantic fans cheered wildly as Tokunaga slapped his hands at second.

Trevor Ling, the winning pitcher, retired the side in the bottom of the sixth and set off a wild celebration as Hawai'i players tossed their gloves in the air near the mound.

The West O'ahu championship in 2005 was the first of three consecutive titles for U.S. teams.

Now, Waipi'o will try to make it four in a row tomorrow.

With two outs in the top of the first, Waipi'o's Pikai Winchester was hit by a pitch and went to second on Iolana Akau's single off pitcher Trey Quinn. Khade Paris grounded to short to end the inning.

Pitcher Paris got through the first inning with two strikes and leaving a runner at third.

Quinn struck out the side in the top of the second. Paris allowed his first hit, a single, but struck out two to keep Lake Charles scoreless.

In the top of the third, Winchester's RBI single scoring Donahue gave Waipi'o a 1-0 lead. Jordan Ulep walked and Donahue doubled. On the play, Ulep got caught trying to round third and was tagged out by the catcher, and Donahue moved to third. After Tokunaga struck out, Winchester singled up the middle to break the scoreless tie.

Paris struck out the side in the bottom of the third and had seven strikeouts through three innings.

In the top of the fourth inning, Matthew Yap singled to left with one out, but Andrade grounded into a double play to end the inning.

Louisiana took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. After consecutive walks to open the inning Tokunaga replaced Paris on the mound. Bryce Jordan singled to center to score two runs and went to third on the overthrow to the plate. Nicholas Abshire then singled to drive in Jordan. Tokunaga managed to get out of the inning with consecutive strikeouts after loading the bases.

Quinn put Waipi'o down in order in the top of the fifth.

Lake Charles took a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth on Kennon Fontenot's homer to right-center field and an RBI single by Abshire.

Advertiser Staff Writer Wes Nakama and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

LINESCORE

WAIPI'O 001 006—7 10 1

LAKE CHARLES, La. 000 320—5 7 1

Paris, Tokunaga (4), Ling (5) and Obedoza, Akau(2), Obedoza (3), Akau (6). W—Ling. L—Leger. HR—Lake Charles, La., Fontenot.