Hawaii advances to BRWS title game
Hawaii starting pitcher Chaysten Fuentes delivers to the plate during the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Florida on Friday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Isaac Saoit celebrates after a second-inning double during the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Florida on Friday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Ezra Pule-Nicholas, right, celebrates with teammate Angelo Pabalan after Pule-Nicholas scored in the second inning of the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Florida on Friday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii starting pitcher Chaysten Fuentes delivers to the plate during the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Florida on Friday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Isaac Saoit celebrates after a second-inning double during the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Florida on Friday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Ezra Pule-Nicholas, right, celebrates with teammate Angelo Pabalan after Pule-Nicholas scored in the second inning of the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Florida on Friday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
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Starter Chaysten Fuentes did his job.
So did reliever Ezra Pule-Nicholas.
Now Mililani, Hawaii, will play for a title.
Fuentes and Pule-Nicholas combined on a four-hitter as the Pacific Southwest Region champions beat Tallahassee-Leon, Florida, 4-1 in the first semifinal of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Friday at Diethrick Park.
Fuentes, the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game for Hawaii, threw 5 1-3 innings on the mound, allowing four hits and one unearned run while striking out one, walking one and hitting a batter. The right-hander pitched out of a one-out bases-loaded jam in the first inning with a strikeout and a groundball before his offense got him three runs of support.
In the bottom of the second inning, Hawaii's Isaac Saoit led off with a double and Stansen Verbeckmoes singled to put runners at first and third. With Pule-Nicholas at the plate, Verbeckmoes took off for second and was thrown out, but Saoit raced home with the first run of the game.
Pule-Nicholas then made it all the way to second base on an error. With Shyne-Don Sanchez at the plate, Pule-Nicholas appeared to be picked off second base, but he was able to evade a tag attempt by Florida's third baseman, then raced home when the Southeast Region champion's catcher strayed too far from home plate while covering third.
Before the inning was over, Sanchez and Pabalan reached on back-to-back walks before Logan Kawakami's two-out RBI single chased Florida starter Gabe Harper from the game.
Fuentes' only blemish came in the top of the fourth inning. Harvey Reichert was hit by a pitch to open the frame and went to second on Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Cole Miller's two-out single before a flyball was dropped in left field allowing Reichert to score.
Pule-Nicholas entered with two men on and one out in the top of the sixth inning, but escaped the jam with a flyout to left field before Shiloh Irvine made a diving catch in center field to end the threat.
Hawaii added its final run in the bottom of the sixth. Verbeckmoes led off with a walk, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Pule-Nicholas, stole third and scored on a throwing error.
Pule-Nicholas then retired the side in order in the seventh to set up Saturday's 10 a.m. championship game against the winner of Atlantic Shore, New Jersey, and Bethel, Connecticut.