Sports

Little League

Hawaii rides Fe'ao's pitching, bat to World Series

Associated Press
Published August 28, 2005

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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - Vonn Fe'ao escaped a bases-loaded jam with a double play in the top of the fifth inning then sealed the game with a homer in the bottom of the inning as West Oahu of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, advanced to the title game of the Little League World Series with a 6-1 victory over Rancho Buena Vista of Vista, Calif.

West Oahu won the U.S. crown and will play the title game Sunday against Curacao, a 2-0 winner over Japan in the international title game late Saturday.

Fe'ao, who was playing third base, entered the game as a reliever with one out and runners on second and third and hit the first batter he faced, Nathan Lewis, to load the bases.

But Fe'ao got the next hitter, slugger Kalen Pimentel, to pop weakly to shortstop. Kini Enos then threw to second to easily get pinch-runner Dylan Demeyer, who was caught too far off base, ending the threat from Rancho Buena Vista.

In the bottom of the fifth, Fe'ao hit his high shot that landed beyond the hedges in left field and set off a scramble for the souvenir among fans on a hill.

Rancho Buena Vista's Daniel Gibney grounded out to second to end the game.

California and Hawaii had just two hits in the game, and Hawaii has just three hits over its last two games.

But two of those hits are homers, including Fe'ao's blast on Saturday.

Rancho Buena Vista threatened in the fifth inning after Gibney tripled into the right-field corner, then later slid home safely on a wild pitch.

Five batters later, Pimentel came to bat after getting a pat on the back from manager Marty Miller. He was the hitter Rancho Buena Vista fans wanted at the plate with the bases loaded, after having hit two grand slams already in the tournament.

But Pimentel popped up the first pitch he saw from Fe'ao to start the inning-ending double play.

"You can only go to the well so many times," Miller said. "He's only a 12-year-old boy."

[Last modified August 28, 2005, 01:15:11]

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