SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (AP) It only took one pitch for Mana Lau Kong to deliver Hawaii its first Little League World Series title in a decade.
Against a South Korea team that hadnt surrendered a home run in the tournament, Kong drove the first pitch his team saw over the center field fence. As he rounded the bases and headed home, his teammates poured out of the dugout in a pack led by pitcher Kaolu Holt and formed a huddle around home plate.
It was great, Holt said, because we all knew that pitcher was tough to hit.
Holt took it from there, throwing a two-hitter to lead Hawaii to a 3-0 victory in the Little League World Series championship, the first shutout in a title game since 2002. It was Holts first-ever complete game.
The team from Honolulu allowed just three runs in the entire tournament, shut out four of its five opponents and struck out 53 batters in 34 innings.
Someone asked me, whats the strength of the team, and I honestly have to say, its that they play as a team, Hawaii manager Gerald Oda said. Kaolu pitching, or Aukai (Kea) pitching, Mana hitting a home run, its everybody just doing the best that they can do. Once they bought in and once they accepted their roles, it makes my job a lot easier.
In the bottom of the second inning, Hawaii had the bases loaded with no outs, but failed to score. So Oda took a more aggressive approach on the basepaths with two runners in scoring position in the third.
Pinch-runner Zachary Won scored Hawaiis second run on a wild pitch from starter Kim Yeong-hyeon. As catcher Kim Gi-jeong chased the ball, Oda sent Taylin Oana all the way home from second to give Hawaii its third run.
In the stands, Hawaiis fans, waving tea leaves for luck, started to mix their signature Hon-o-lu-lu! chants with U-S-A!
The victory marks the first time a Hawaiian team has won the Little League World Series since 2008. It is now one of seven U.S. states with at least three LLWS titles. All of Hawaiis championships have come in the past 13 years.
Seoul, South Korea, has played in the three of the last six LLWS title games, but won only once in 2014. It lost in 2016 to Maine-Endwell, New York.
