KAILUA-KONA — New York Yankees MLB Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel once said, “Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa.” Paradox aside, pitching has definitely dominated good hitting in the first two games of the District 4 Minors baseball tournament at Old Airport Park.
KAILUA-KONA — New York Yankees MLB Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel once said, “Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa.” Paradox aside, pitching has definitely dominated good hitting in the first two games of the District 4 Minors baseball tournament at Old Airport Park.
One day after a stellar seven strikeout performance in 2 2/3 innings by North Hawaii’s Aiden Joaquin on Friday against Hilo, Rocco Williams took the mound for West Side Little League on Saturday against that same North Hawaii team and struck out five batters in three innings.
West Side won the game in four innings, 13-3, beating a team that scored 18 runs the day before.
“Rocco is an awesome pitcher and he did a great job,” West Side coach Ben Lorenzo said. “He only threw 35 pitches so he will be able to pitch in the championship game.”
Williams did not allow a hit, with only two North Hawaii runners reaching base, both coming in the second inning on a walk and a hit by pitch.
“I felt good,” Williams said. “I knew the umps strike zone and worked on the mechanics I learned in practice.”
Kingston Lee led the offense for West Side with three doubles and two RBIs. As a team, West Side finished with 15 hits.
“All the kids are on the ball, hitting and bunting today, and having fun,” Lorenzo said. “Kingston hit three deep bombs in the outfield and he is only eight years old. He is my youngest player.”
North Hawaii managed to score three runs in the top of the fourth inning by staying disciplined at the plate against a pair of new West side pitchers. Leyton Neves, Traven Lee and Gabe Key all scored for North Hawaii.
Key started for North Hawaii and took the loss as West Side scored five runs in the first inning, three in the second and five in the third.
West Side will now advance to the championship game which will be played at Old Airport Park on Monday at 11 a.m. They will play the winner of North Hawaii and Hilo, which will take place today at 10 a.m.