Central East Maui advances with 5-2 win at World Series | News, Sports, Jobs – Maui News

Kaleb Mathias stretches to get the out at first on Louisiana’s Ryan Darrah during the third inning at the Little League World Series on Friday. Central East Maui won 5-2. — AP photo

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Jaren Pascual could only watch as Reece Roussel drove a long fly ball deep down the right-field line.

The shot could have tied the game, but the ball curved foul against the netting surrounding Lamade Stadium. Pascual would give up a single to Roussel, but got the next batter to finish his complete game for Central East Maui in a 5-2 victory over Southwest Region champ, East Bank Little League of River Ridge, La., on Friday at the Little League World Series.

“We’ve been waiting for a performance like that from him,” Central East Maui Manager Brad Lung said. “He worked his speeds really well today, and he was in command of the cutter. He was just keeping them off-balance, and we were really happy to see that from him.

“We knew he would go the distance if he had command of his pitches.”

The win, the first for a Maui team at the Little League World Series, means Central East Maui will play the Mid-Atlantic Region champ, Elmora Youth Little League of Elizabeth, N.J., on Sunday. The game is set for 8 a.m. HST and will be televised on ABC Channel 4 locally.

Jaren Pascual pitches during the first inning against Louisiana at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., on Friday. Central East Maui won 5-2. — AP photo

Elmora defeated the Northwest Region champion, Sprague Little League from Salem, Ore., 6-2, on Friday night.

As for Friday afternoon’s contest, it was all about Pascual and his ability to shake off hits and base runners throughout the six-inning contest. He faced runners in scoring position in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings but managed to pitch his way out of the jams in each instance.

“He’s a tiger,” Lung said. “He just stood in there and kept going.”

The long foul ball in the sixth inning would have tied the game if it was fair, but Pascual didn’t seem bothered by it. He simply got a new ball from the umpire, squeezed it, and got ready to finish the game.

“I just kept telling myself to get out of the inning and not let any runs score,” Pascual said. “I started to think that I had to get him off-balance.”

Logan Kuloloia drives in a run with a single during the first inning. — AP photo

Pascual gave up a single to Roussel, but made sure his team would advance in the tournament. He trusted his defense and got the next batter to hit a line drive out to center field–with a pitch count looming.

East Bank took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but it wouldn’t hold up as Central East Maui scored four runs in the bottom of the frame.

Pascual helped his cause offensively with the team’s first hit of the game, a single into right field. Nakea Kahalehau reached on an error and Kamaha’o Akima got hit by a pitch to load the bases. A single by Logan Kuloloia and a double by Duke Aloy drove in three runs. Another runner would score on a wild pitch to give Maui a 4-1 lead. Aloy would single in the fifth to finish 2-for-3 with two RBI.

“It felt really good to just drive in those two runs and help the team get the lead,” Aloy said. “It gives us a lot of confidence for the next game.”

East Bank opened the game hot as Marshall Louque and Conner Perrott posted back-to-back hits to give their team the early run. Louque reached on a single and Perrott drove a double into the outfield to score Louque.

Kamaha‘o Akima (right) celebrates with Logan Kuloloia as he heads to the dugout after they both scored on a double by Duke Aloy. — AP photo

Central East Maui responded with a four-run first and tacked on another run in the fifth inning. Pascual went the distance to pick up the win. He gave up nine hits to East Bank, but relied on his defense to get him out of trouble.

Roussel, though, nearly tied the game in the final frame.

“I talked to him before the at bat and I told him, because we preach about hitting line drives and hitting balls in the gap, and it was an opportunity for us to hit a three-run jack to tie it right there,” East Bank Manager Scott Frazier said. “I told him to elevate the ball and keep his shoulder in and not pull it foul. He has a tendency to do that.

Southwest 100 010–2 9 1

Central East Maui 400 01X–5 8 2

Duke Aloy catches a foul ball for an out. — BRETT R. CROSSLEY photo

Marshall Louque, William Andrade (2), Egan Pather (5), and Egan Pather, Ryder Planchard (3). Jaren Pascual and Duke Aloy.

WP: Pascual. LP: Louque.

Top Southwest hitters: Reece Roussel 2-4. Top East Central Maui hitters: Logan Kuloloia 2-2, 2 runs, RBI; Duke Aloy 2-3, 2B, 2 RBI; Kaleb Mathias 2-3, RBI.

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LLWS ON TV

Nakea Kahalehau scores a run. — BRETT R. CROSSLEY photo

Sunday (HST)

8 a.m.–Central East Maui vs. Elizabeth, N.J., (ABC)