SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Michael Memea and Sheyne Baniaga homered and pitcher Alaka’i Aglipay was backed by three double plays as West Oahu of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, routed Maitland, Fla., 10-0 on Monday in the Little League World Series. Baniaga’s
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Michael Memea and Sheyne Baniaga homered and pitcher Alaka’i Aglipay was backed by three double plays as West Oahu of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, routed Maitland, Fla., 10-0 on Monday in the Little League World Series.
Baniaga’s first-inning homer drove in two runs, while Memea’s homer just cleared the left-field fence to give West Oahu (3-0), the Northwest champs, a five-run lead.
Asked to describe his homer after the game, Memea, 12, said, “I thought it was going to get caught,” then turned to his teammates and laughed.
Aglipay struck out seven and allowed four hits in throwing a shutout. He got Mike Tomlinson to bounce into a double play with the bases loaded and one out in the third inning.
Dante Bichette Jr. had two hits for Maitland (2-1), the Southeast champs.
Both teams have clinched berths in the next round of the 10-day tournament, though West Oahu’s imposing lineup of big boppers and aggressive baserunners makes them a favorite in the U.S. bracket.
West Oahu has hit eight homers so far in series, including two by Memea.
“When we say it’s time for batting practice, they say, ‘Oh, let’s go!’ When it’s time for fielding practice, they start moaning,” manager Layton Aliviado said.
Bichette was one of the few bright spots on the day for Maitland, getting two of the four hits off West O‘ahu ace Aglipay and continuing his stellar performance in the tournament.
On Friday, Bichette struck out 11 batters and hit a three-run homer late in a 7-3 win over Davenport, Iowa. On Saturday, he started a two-run first-inning rally and added an insurance run in the fifth with a solo homer to defeat Newtown, 3-1.
Bichette’s father, who is a coach for Maitland, has some experience in the spotlight: Dante Bichette hit 274 home runs during a 14-year major league career.
With similar faces, the Bichettes would be recognizable as father and son even if they weren’t wearing baseball uniforms.
Little Dante’s dreams of playing in South Williamsport took hold two years ago on a trip to the Little League World Series with his father. They were just spectators then.
“I said to my dad ‘I want to do that some day,”‘ Bichette Jr. said.
Since then, Bichette says he’s been working with his son and teammates. Like most coaches, he does a little of everything in practice — throw baseballs in the batting nets, position fielders and help on pitching mechanics.
He’s probably best known for his stint in the 1990s with the Blake Street Bombers lineup that powered the Colorado Rockies.
Bichette Jr. says the best piece of advice he has received from dad was about pitching.
“Keep your head up and don’t let anything get to you. Always keep good posture,” Bichette Jr. said calmly as he gazed at teammates taking infield practice, his father standing several feet away.
Also Monday, Mexico shut out Russia 7-0; Japan defeated Venezuela 7-4; Curacao beat Saudi Arabia 3-0; and Council Rock-Newtown of Newtown, Pa., routed Davenport (Iowa) Northwest, 15-0 in four innings.
The Ewa Beach games has been featured on national television, and their advance in the Series will be televised on Thursday, Aug. 25 on ESPN2 starting at 7:30 p.m. EDT.
Ewa Beach’s opponent in the U.S. Semi Finals will be the winner of the Louisiana/California matchup that will take place Tuesday, Aug. 23 starting at 7:30 p.m. EDT. That game will be aired on ESPN2.
