ISLE FILE
Waipi'o advances despite losing, 7-4
Advertiser Staff
After losing to Chandler, Ariz. in yesterday's final game of pool play, Waipi'o will get a shot at redemption today in a semifinal of the Little League (ages 11-12) West Regional in San Bernardino, Calif.
Chandler (4-0) earned the top seed of the four remaining teams after defeating Waipi'o, 7-4.
Despite the loss, Waipi'o advanced as the fourth seed when Solana Beach, Calif. defeated San Jose, Calif. last night. Waipi'o (1-3) held a tie-breaker over San Jose (1-3) by virtue of its 14-11 victory over the Northern California representative in pool play.
Solana Beach (3-1) plays Las Vegas (3-1) in today's other semifinal.
Yesterday, Chandler took advantage of wild pitches and a throwing error to score four runs in the third inning and three runs in the fourth against Waipi'o.
Waipi'o scored a run in each of the first two innings, but really didn't take full advantage of the situation.
Shortstop Christian Donahue opened the bottom of the first with a double to left, and Chad Uyehara followed with a bunt single to third. However, the next batter hit into a double play, with a run scoring, and Westin Fabro flied out to the warning track in right field. Troy Vicari hit a sacrifice fly in the second inning, but Waipi'o left the bases loaded.
Iolana Akau pitched well for the first two innings, but threw two wild pitches in the third to allow Chandler to tie the score. Another run scored when the catcher threw the ball into center field after a wild pitch.
Vicari relieved in the fourth. He allowed two walks and a run-scoring wild pitch. Two more runs scored on Edgar Galiz's single.
"That's uncharacteristic of our kids and was a shock to our coaches," Waipi'o coach Timo Donahue said. "They will learn from this."
Waipi'o closed to 7-3 in the fourth when Tanner Tokunaga singled and later scored on a wild pitch, and made it 7-4 on Akau's fifth-inning home run.
— By George Alfano
Special to The Advertiser
LITTLE LEAGUE
PEARL CITY ADVANCES
Sumi Pruett singled in the tying and go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh inning, and reliever Chace Numata pitched 4 2/3 scoreless innings as Pearl City beat Mesa, Ariz., 8-6, yesterday in the semifinals of the Little League Junior (ages 13-14) West Regional at Beaverton, Ore.
Pearl City, the only undefeated team in the tournament at 6-0, will play Beaverton, Ore., in today's final. Beaverton (5-1) lost to Pearl City, 6-3, in pool play.
Pruett's single up the middle scored Kahana Neal and Isaac Shim to put Pearl City up 7-6 yesterday. Christian Perkins scored an insurance run on a wild pitch.
Numata allowed four hits, walked one and struck out one.
Pruett finished 2 for 4 with three RBIs and Shim was 4 for 4 with two RBIs.
USABF
WEST O'AHU IN FINAL
Steven Dannaway, Moe Lau-Hee, Chad Takabuki and Keoni Manago each drove in a run as West O'ahu defeated Encinitas, 4-2, yesterday at the United States Amateur Baseball Federation World Series (ages 18-under) in San Diego.
West O'ahu advances to tomorrow's championship game.
GOLF
KIM OUSTS KANEKO
Defending champion Kimberly Kim, a 15-year-old former Big Island resident, ousted Sacred Hearts Academy senior Ayaka Kaneko, 1 up, yesterday in the first round of the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in Carmel, Ind.
In another first-round match, Michelle Shin of Cape Coral, Fla. defeated Stanford junior and Kamehameha Schools alum Mari Chun, 1 up.
Kim, who roomed with Kaneko earlier this summer during the Canon Cup, said her victory over Kaneko "was so hard.
"We both played the best of our games," Kim said in a story on the tournament's Web site. "After nine holes, I thought if I lose this match, it would (still) be a great match."
Kim plays Rikako Morita of Japan in today's round of 32.
ACES WILD AT MILILANI
Three golfers aced the sixth hole at Mililani Golf Club on Sunday, including 82-year-old Henry Ka'ahanui Jr.
Spanning 141 yards, Ka'ahanui made his first-ever hole-in-one with a 5-iron. Later in the day, Mike Choo aced the same hole with a 7-wood and Steven Maxwell aced it with a 6-iron.
General manager Alvin Kitamura believes this is the first time three aces were recorded on the same hole at the club on the same day.
FISHING
PAJARO TAKES SLIM LEAD
On a quiet day of fishing, Pajaro Valley Gamefish Club No. 1 nudged ahead of Hilton Grand Vacations Fishing Club-Japan to take a slim lead yesterday at the Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament in waters off Kailua, Kona.
Pajaro team captain Rocky Franich caught two Pacific blue marlin — estimated to weigh 150 and 200 pounds — before tagging and releasing each.
The two catches brought Pajaro's score to 900 points, with Hilton staying steady at 889.
Dan Holt of Wai'anae Boat Fishing Club-DH Squared tagged a Pacific blue marlin estimated at 140 pounds and Steve Bolick of Old South Marlin Club No. 2 tagged one estimated at 150 pounds. Both came on 50-pound test line. The only other catch of the day was a 35-pound short-nosed spearfish by Kevin Reece of the Malindi Sea Fishing Club of Kenya.
"The famous fishing waters of Kona continue to tempt our tournament anglers and although it was a quiet day, tomorrow is filled with the certainty of another day of great Kona fishing," said HIBT founder Peter Fithian.
