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Waipio Little League overpowered North Scottsdale, Ariz., with five home runs in a 12-2 semifinal game of the West Regional on Friday in San Bernardino, Calif.
Kaho‘ea Akau, Ty DeSa, Ezra Heleski and Noah Shackles all homered in a 6-run first inning for Waipio. Kaimana Bartolome also homered in the fourth.
The game was abbreviated to four innings as the Hawaii state champions beat fourth-seeded Arizona by the 10-run mercy rule.
Dane Kaneshiro allowed two hits and one walk and struck out seven in the win.
Top-seeded Waipio plays third-seeded Southern California at 2 p.m. Hawaii Time on Sunday, with the winner advancing to the Little League World Series. The game is on ESPN2.
Waipio won the Little League World Series in 2008, and Ewa Beach won in 2005.
Southern California beat Northern California 5-2 in the other West Regional semifinal.
