SUNDAY, AUG. 24: WORLD SERIES FINAL

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — In the final game of its thrilling roller-coaster ride to a world championship, the Waipi'o Little League baseball team this time took out much of the drama with a couple innings to spare.

Waipi'o routed Mexico, 12-3, in the most lopsided victory by a United States team over the International Champion since the Little League World Series started including foreign teams in the title game in 1967.

Waipi'o also became only the second team since the first Series in 1947 to score a run in every inning of the championship game.

"It felt really good to be the world champions," said second baseman/shortstop Tanner Tokunaga, "especially (for me) to make the last out."

But long before Tokunaga glided to his left to cleanly field a ground ball by Hector Dragustonovis and made a quick throw to first baseman Khade Paris on the game's final play, the outcome appeared to be decided thanks to hot hitting by Waipi'o and a steady pitching performance by Caleb Duhay.

Waipi'o pounded out 11 hits — including two home runs by Tokunaga and one by Iolana Akau — and was aided by several Mexico miscues: three errors, six wild pitches, three passed balls, nine walks issued and three hit batsmen.

"The kids from Hawai'i are really, really good and they got a great start from the get-go," Mexico manager Gustavo Gomez said through an interpreter. "They are very solid, they did a great job. My hat's off to them, my congratulations."

As in the U.S. championship game against Lake Charles, La., Waipi'o struck first yesterday in the top of the first inning when Christian "C-boy" Donahue led off with a single to center field, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored one out later when Pikai Winchester hit a single to left that was misplayed by the fielder.

But unlike the U.S. title game, when Waipi'o was limited to one run in the first five innings, this time the hits and runs never stopped coming.

Tokunaga made it 3-0 in the second inning with a towering two-run homer over the fence in left-center. Mexico answered in the bottom half with a solo blast by Jesus Sauceda, but Waipi'o made it 4-1 in the third after two errors and a wild pitch.

Mexico closed to 4-3 on Eduardo Rodriguez's two-run bloop single to right in the bottom of the frame, but Akau responded with a solo blast in the fourth. Waipi'o tacked on two more runs in the inning after three walks and a hit batter to make it 7-3.

After Duhay retired the side in order in the fourth, Waipi'o exploded for four more runs in the fifth on Tokunaga's solo home run to center, an RBI groundout by Paris, Duhay's run-scoring single to right and a passed ball.

Duhay again shut out Mexico in the bottom half, thanks in large part to a spectacular diving catch in right by Akau for the final out.

Waipi'o added a run for good measure in the sixth, and Donahue relieved Duhay with one out in the bottom half and closed out the victory.

After the final out, the players threw their gloves in the air and rushed to the middle of the infield to hug one another and jump for joy.

Manager Timo Donahue, who said he had no doubts about his team's ability to notch another big victory after the emotional 7-5 comeback win over Lake Charles, could just smile at one last clutch performance by a team that filled its postseason with them.

"These guys have been mentally tough on this ordeal we've been on since July once we left Honolulu, and I didn't think one more day would affect them much," Donahue said.

He added that the players themselves probably do not fully realize what they have just achieved, outlasting thousands of teams to become world champion.

"Even for me, it's surreal," Donahue said.

WAIPI'O INNING BY INNING

FIRST

Christian Donahue singles up the middle. Donahue takes second on wild pitch. Tanner Tokunaga strikes out looking. Pikai Winchester singles to left. Donahue to third, but scores when left fielder misplays the ball. Winchester takes second. Iolana Akau strikes out looking. Khade Paris and Caleb Duhay walk to load bases. Jedd Andrade strikes out swinging.

One run, two hits, one error, three left on base.

SECOND

Jordan Ulep walks. Kainoa Fong pinch runs. Trevor Ling strikes out swinging. Donahue called out on strikes. Tokunaga hits two-run homer to left-center. Winchester strikes out swinging.

Two runs, one hit, no errors, no one left on base.

THIRD

Akau strikes out looking. Paris walks. Duhay reaches on fielder's choice to second with Paris forced out at second. Ulumano Farm bunts roller down third-base line, pitcher throws ball away for an error, putting Farm on second and Duhay on third. Duhay scores on wild pitch and Farm goes to third. Kainoa Fong walks. Mexico's Jesus Sauceda replaces pitcher Sergio Rodriguez. Keelen Obedoza walks to load bases. Donahue grounds out 4-3 on close play.

One run, one hit, one error, three left on base.

FOURTH

Tokunaga strikes out looking. Winchester grounds out to short. Akau launches homer to center. Paris walks. Duhay walks. Andrade hit by pitch to load the bases. Fong walks to force in a run. Mexico changes pitchers, bringing in Klaus Muller. Obedoza beats out a pop to first, scoring Duhay for 7-3 lead. Donahue strikes out swinging.

Three runs, two hits, no errors, three left on base.

FIFTH

Tokunaga homers to center just out of the reach of the center fielder for 8-3 lead. Winchester walks. Akau hit by pitch. Mexico changes pitchers, bringing in Eduardo Rodriguez. Runners advance on wild pitch. Paris grounds out to short, scoring Winchester for 9-3 lead. Duhay singles to right for to score Akau for a 10-3 lead. Duhay advances to second on wild pitch. Matthew Yap singles to left, Duhay holds at third with Yap taking second on the throw back to infield. Fong walks to load bases. Duhay scores on passed ball for 11-3 lead, Yap goes third, Fong to second. Obedoza strikes out swinging. Donahue strikes out looking.

Four runs, three hits, no errors, two left on base.

SIXTH

Tokunaga strikes out swinging. Winchester singles to center. Akau strikes out looking. Winchester goes to second on wild pitch. Paris reaches first on grounder, goes to second on second baseman's throwing error, allowing Winchester to score for a 12-3 lead. Duhay grounds to short.

One run, two hits, one error, one left.