Honolulu defeats New York with power and pitching in Little League World Series
Honolulu used power and pitching to no-hit and run-rule Massapequa of New York 12-0 in five innings in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., on Friday.
Kekoa Payanal led off the top of the first inning with a homer and added another in the fourth. Jaron Lancaster, the starting pitcher, also homered, as did Esaiah Wong, who hit a three-run blast in the fifth.
Payanal, Lancaster, Wong and Kama Angell each had two hits for Honolulu, which advanced to a game Monday against Pearland, Texas, at 1 p.m.
Lancaster pitched three dominant innings, striking out seven. He threw 49 pitches, which allow him to be eligible to pitch Monday. Cohen Sakamoto, who started Wednesday’s 11-1 win over Bonney Lake, Wash., relieved and completed the no-hitter by pitching the final two innings, striking out four.
The no-hitter was the first by a Hawaii team in the Little League World Series.
Honolulu scored single runs in the first, second and third, then added three in the four and six in the fifth.