One thought ran through Blaine DeMello’s head as the ball bounced underneath the catcher’s legs.

"Oh my God, we’re going to the World Series," he said.

DeMello scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth inning to send Eastside to a dramatic 6-5 victory over Northwest Bakersfield in the championship game of the Cal Ripken Pacific Southwest Regional on Saturday at Patsy T. Mink Central Oahu Regional Park.

Eastside, which practices in Kaneohe, advanced out of the 10-team bracket in the 12-and-under division to the Cal Ripken World Series in Aberdeen, Md., beginning Aug. 13.

"It’s all about these kids and them being able to achieve their dreams," Eastside coach Charles McNicoll said. "I think it was a little to our advantage to be able to play (in Hawaii) in front of family and friends and be able to sleep in our own beds."

Hawaii was awarded a regional for the first time ever and Eastside made it count, becoming the fourth team in the past nine years from Hawaii to make it to the World Series.

Eastside scored in every inning but one, but found itself trailing NW Bakersfield 5-4 after an RBI single by Izzak Olejnik with two outs in the fourth.

Dustin Imanaka, who earned the win as a relief pitcher, tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a wild pitch after leading off with a single.

The play of the game came in the top of the sixth when Bakersfield loaded the bases with two outs. Reece Males, who singled and scored in the first, smoked what appeared destined to be the go-ahead hit to center until Bobby Phelps made a diving catch to keep the game tied.

"I took a step back and then ran in and I just knew I was diving no matter what," Phelps said. "It’s a dream come true and this is like the best day of my life."

DeMello finished with two hits and scored twice and Kaimana Pa‘aluhi finished 2-for-2 with a double, triple and two walks to lead Eastside.

Zack McHone doubled twice, driving in the first two runs of the game for Bakersfield.