Hawaii, Curacao to Meet for Title

Vonn Fe’ao has quite a story to tell his friends when he gets back to Hawaii.

Fe’ao escaped a bases-loaded jam with a double play in the top of the fifth inning, then secured the victory with a homer in the bottom of the inning Saturday 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 (5-0) won the U.S. championship and will play defending champion Willemstad, Curacao, a 2-0 winner over Chiba City, Japan, in today’s title game.

Fe’ao, who was playing third base, came on in relief with one out and runners on second and third. He hit the first batter he faced, Nathan Lewis, to load the bases.

But Fe’ao got the next batter, Kalen Pimentel, to pop 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 (4-1).

California and Hawaii each had only two hits, and Hawaii has only three hits in its last two games. But two of those hits are homers, including Fe’ao’s blast Saturday.

Rancho Buena Vista threatened in the fifth inning after Daniel Gibney tripled into the right-field corner, then scored on a wild pitch.

Five batters later, Pimentel came to bat. He already had hit two grand slams in the tournament.

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

Curacao scored its runs in the first inning, aided by a Japanese error, the team’s only error in five tournament games.

With Christopher Garia on first, Jurickson Profar singled to right, sending Garia to third. The throw from right went to third baseman Shuhei Iwata, and Profar broke for second. When Iwata’s throw to second sailed into the outfield, Garia scored and Profar advanced to third. Profar then scored on Sorick Liberia’s hit.