Hawaii Kai Elite in championship bracket at Babe Ruth World Series

After opening the Babe Ruth 13U World Series with a loss, Hawaii Kai Elite has won two straight games in the tournament, taking down Tallassee, Ala., 5-1 on Tuesday in Jamestown N.Y.

Hawaii Kai took the early lead on first-inning doubles by Hudson Nishina and JJ Shinagawa. After Tallassee tied the game in the second, Hawaii Kai promptly regained the lead when Ace Arizumi scored on a sacrifice fly by Alika Ahu in the third. Hawaii Kai later added a trio of insurance runs in the fifth and sixth innings.

Bubu Sarono got the start on the mound, pitching five innings and giving up just one run. Colton Gallano was called upon for the save opportunity. Gallano didn’t give up a run over the final two innings.

Pool play continues for Hawaii Kai (2-1) today at 11 a.m. against host Jamestown, N.Y., but the team has already clinched a spot in single-elimination championship bracket, set to begin on Thursday.

Hawaii punches ticket to Legion WS finale

Tiebreakers did not determine the fate for Hawaii’s Team Central this time around, as the team from Honolulu dominated Dubuque County, Iowa, in a 9-1 victory in Tuesday’s weather-delayed semifinal to punch its ticket to the American Legion World Series championship game.

Trailing by a run early, Team Central took control with a six-run third inning eruption. Hawaii sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning. Alohi Arecchi and Micah Zeller each drove in a run, while DJ Akiyama plated two with a homer down the right-field line. Team Central scored another two runs on Dubuque errors.

The carnage continued in the fourth inning, with Ethan Thomas and Hunter Sasaki each picking up an RBI. DJ Akiyama singled to right field for his third RBI of the game.

Joshua Aribal pitched a complete game, including six scoreless innings after giving up a run in the first.

Team Central was set to take on Idaho Falls, Idaho, in the championship game immediately after the semifinal, but inclement weather again postponed the game. The ALWS Championship game is scheduled for 7 a.m. today and will be broadcast on ESPNU.