SATURDAY, AUG. 23: UNITED STATES FINAL

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Struggling with only one run on four hits in the first five innings against imposing 5-foot-11, 154-pound heat-throwing Lake Charles (La.) pitcher Trey Quinn, the Waipi'o Little League baseball team did not give in.

"We haven't faced a pitcher with his three-quarter arm slot, but we just listened to what our coach (Timo Donahue) said, he told us we would get to him," said second baseman/pitcher Tanner Tokunaga. "But then they took him out, so we just had to get to the other guy."

The "other guy" — reliever Gunner Leger — proved to be much more hittable, and Waipi'o responded with six runs on five hits in the top of the sixth inning to turn a 5-1 deficit into a stunning 7-5 lead before shutting out Lake Charles in the bottom half to win the Little League (ages 11-12) World Series United States Championship.

Waipi'o, only the third Hawai'i team to win a U.S. title in the 61-year history of the LLWS, will face International Champion Mexico for the overall championship.

'Ewa Beach (2005) is the only other Hawai'i team to win youth baseball's most prestigious title.

It looked like Waipi'o would not be following in 'Ewa Beach's footsteps, as more than a few in the Lamade Stadium crowd of about 22,700 started to head for the exits after Lake Charles scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take what seemed to be a commanding 5-1 lead into the sixth and final inning.

But Quinn, who struck out seven and walked only one in five innings, moved to center field to start the sixth despite being three pitches under the LLWS limit of 85 for the game. Lake Charles manager Charlie Phillips said the pitch count was not a factor in his decision to not let Quinn start the sixth inning.

"It was time for him to come out," Phillips said. "You could see in the inning before, he left some balls up (in the zone), so there is no hindsight here. In the regional final, we brought Gunner in (to close) and he slammed the door, so we wouldn't be here without him. It just didn't happen today."

Against Leger, Waipi'o got three straight hits for one run. A groundout scored another to make it 5-3.

Another single made it 5-4. A single and a walk filled the bases and brought up Christian Donahue, who faced new pitcher Peyton McLemore.

Donahue ripped a 2-2 pitch down the first-base line. Leger, who had moved to first, smothered the ball, but could not find it in time as Donahue reached safely as the tying run scored.

"When I saw him bobble the ball, I just started running harder," said the diminutive Donahue, who celebrated by jumping on the bag repeatedly while punching the sky.

Tanner Tokunaga then ripped a McLemore offering into the left-center alley for a two-run double to put Waipi'o up, 7-5.

"It seemed like we didn't have a chance," Timo Donahue said, "but that's why the game is played ... anything can happen."