The Central Maui Little League team defeated Southern California 2-1 on Friday night to earn the right to compete in the Little League World Series on August 14 in Williamsport, Virginia. Photo courtesy
By Ryan Mitchell Collins
Managing Editor of The Maui News
WAILUKU – The Central East Maui Little League team is on its way to South Williamsport, Virginia, to participate in the Little League World Series.
The team earned a hard-earned promotion to the world’s biggest Little League stage on Friday night in San Bernardino, Calif., when it defeated Southern California 2-1 to win the West Regional Tournament, officially punching its ticket to Williamsport after finishing the West Regional 3-1.
The Central East team defeated Northern California 2-0 on August 4 before losing to Southern California 11-3 on August 6. The Central East Maui team bounced back and won two straight games, defeating Arizona 13-9 on August 7 and winning a rematch against Southern California 2-1 on Friday night.
The second game against Southern California was a struggle for defense, as Evan Tavares began his day on the mound with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Tavares began scoring in the first inning after a wild pitch from Southern California pitcher Gavin Cruz to Hayden Takahashi missed the target with runners on 1st and 3rd base. Tavares had to scurry across the plate to start the game, giving himself a lead to work with on the mound.
Southern California tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the 2nd inning. The middle innings were a defensive battle as Central East Maui took a 2-1 lead in the top of the 5th inning and never relinquished it.
Tavares contributed to his own cause in the second half of the fifth inning by getting to home base first after an error and eventually finding his way across home base for the winning run.
With the game tied at 2-1 at the end of the 6th inning, Tavares finished the contest and the inning with a groundout, a strikeout and a groundout to send Central East Maui to the Little League World Series, which begins August 14.
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