WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — When 12-year-old Tanner Tokunaga needed to get one more Nevada batter out two Sundays ago in San Bernardino, Calif., to send his Waipi'o baseball team to the Little League World Series, he was visibly "squeezing okole" on every pitch.

A national ESPN2 TV audience watched as Tokunaga doubled over in combined exhilaration/relief after getting that final strikeout on a swing and a miss.

Yesterday, on the eve of Waipi'o's United States Championship game against Lake Charles, La., Tokunaga's nerves were as cool as shave ice.

"We're relaxed," Tokunaga said. "It's just like any other game."

Today's showdown — which will be shown live nationally on ABC (9 a.m., KITV) — of course, is not just another game. It is a chance for Waipi'o to become only the third Hawai'i team in the 61-year history of the Little League World Series to win a U.S. championship.

A victory also would propel Waipi'o into tomorrow's LLWS overall title game against the International champ, either Japan or Mexico.

"This is bigger than anything I've ever played in," said Waipi'o manager Timo Donahue, a former all-star shortstop for Damien Memorial School who went on to play at the University of Washington and spent four years in the minor leagues. "I mean, there were about 12,000 people at our game Wednesday (a 9-4 semifinal win over Mill Creek, Wash.), and it was loud. It really is like the Major Leagues for kids."

The Waipi'o players, however, appear to be gaining confidence and losing nervousness with every game. After a tight 3-1 opening victory over Shelton, Conn., on Aug. 15, Waipi'o routed Tampa, Fla., 10-2, on Sunday and then rallied for a 6-4 win over Rapid City, S.D., on Monday to finish pool play at 3-0.

Waipi'o then rebounded from an early 2-0 deficit to blitz past Mill Creek on Wednesday, remaining the only undefeated team in the U.S. bracket.

After an off day Thursday, Donahue said his team still appeared relaxed and confident during yesterday morning's batting practice at Lamade Stadium.

"They looked good, they're still loose," Donahue said. "They've been like that since California."

Lake Charles threw its ace, Kennon Fontenot, for 5 2/3 innings in Thursday's semifinal victory over Tampa, but Waipi'o will still need that calm confidence today against another imposing pitcher, 5-foot-11, 154-pound Trey Quinn. The athletic right-hander tossed a no-hitter in his last outing, a 9-0 pool play victory over Jeffersonville, Ind., on Sunday.

"He's got some velocity, probably in the upper 70s (mph) or low 80s, and it looks like he mixes in a slider," Donahue said. "I expect he's gotta be tough, but hopefully our bats are there."

Waipi'o had a relatively light-hitting tournament in San Bernardino, but has come alive offensively in the last three games. Third baseman Pikai Winchester carried much of the load early on, but Tokunaga hit a grand slam in Sunday's victory over Tampa and catcher Keelen Obedoza added a solo blast in Monday's win over South Dakota.

Waipi'o got an added boost Wednesday when Iolana Akau came off the injured list and hit a solo home run over the center field fence in his first appearance since suffering a fractured bone in his upper left arm after being hit by a pitch in the Aug. 15 opener.

"Our bats are hotter because we're seeing the ball better," said shortstop/pitcher Christian Donahue, Timo's son.

Tokunaga added, "We're making better swings at good pitches."

Waipi'o used right-handed ace Caleb Duhay in Wednesday's victory over Mill Creek but still has several pitchers available for today. Donahue said lefty Khade Paris, who has rested a tender throwing arm the past four days, is feeling better and might be ready if he has a good warm-up.

Tokunaga, Christian Donahue and Trevor Ling have been impressive pitching by committee throughout the tournament.

"The thing is, they're not afraid to take the ball and get on the mound," Timo Donahue said. "That nervousness is long gone."

His son, nicknamed "C-Boy," agreed.

"We're just ready to play," he said.

EXTRA INNINGS

After batting practice yesterday morning, the Waipi'o players showered, ate lunch and were able to join their families for a free afternoon. Some went to a nearby Holiday Inn, where they could buy pins and trade them with players from other teams.

In addition to a pig cookout Thursday, the Waipi'o players got to go for a hay ride and swim in a creek. "This guy took us on a tractor and we rode all over the place," Tokunaga said. "The creek had the cleanest water."

Timo Donahue said Thursday's roasted pig "was not kalua pig, but it was good pig." He said the Hawai'i travel party has a rice cooker with them and they were able to eat rice with the other food at the cookout. But Tokunaga said that despite being on the road for three weeks, he and his teammates are not yet tired of Mainland cuisine. "We eat something new every day," he said, "so it's still good."

After a 27-hour journey from O'ahu, Waipi'o Little League president Lenny Fabro finally arrived in Williamsport on Wednesday afternoon, just in time for the semifinal game against Mill Creek. Overall, a group of about 50 parents, family and friends have made the trip to cheer on Waipi'o.

Read his blog at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.