KAPA‘A — Central East Maui Majors got to enjoy a bye Saturday after taking a 3-2 edge over Pearl City in extra innings late Friday at the Hawai‘i Little League State Majors Tournament being played at the Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex in Kapa‘a.
The win by the District 3 winners from Maui advances the team in the winner’s bracket, their next contest starting at 1 p.m. today against Honolulu Majors, who took an 8-3 win over host Kawaihau Majors All Stars Saturday to open the second day of the Little League state double-elimination tournament.
Following its loss to Honolulu, Kawaihau moves to the losers’ bracket and will face the winner of the game between Pearl City and Hilo. First pitch for that contest goes at 10 a.m. today.
Bolstered by a strong home crowd, Kawaihau stayed in the mix when Takazie Thomas, Kawaihau’s starting hurler, smacked a solo shot to knot the contest 1-1 in the first inning. From there, the Honolulu pitching crew, including starter Jaron Lancaster who struck out six purple shirts in the first two innings, held the Kawaihau purple shirts to just two hits in the outing. Kawaihau’s second and third runs that came in the sixth inning were from Honolulu miscues.
The threat of rain that veiled the opening hitters did not deter fans from peering through the chain-link fencing to see what Lancaster was going to do on the mound.
Following the 1-1 first inning, Honolulu pulled ahead, adding two runs in the second inning, another three in the fourth frame, and two in the sixth inning for its eight runs that came on eight hits, including home runs by Luke Hiramoto, Daly Watson and Rusten Hiyoto.
With the win, Honolulu faces Central East Maui, Sunday starting at 1 p.m.
Kawaihau will meet the winner of the contest between Pearl City and Hilo that was played Saturday afternoon. The first pitch of that game goes at 10 a.m., Sunday at the main diamond.
The tournament continues with a single contest on Monday starting at 3 p.m., and the championship game Tuesday morning starting at 10 a.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
