Hawaii moves to 2-0 with stellar defense
Hawaii's Ezra Pule-Nicholas delivers to the plate during Game 5 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Missouri on Sunday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Justice Gabrillo throws to first base hoping to complete a double play as Missouri's Jackson Brown slides into second base during Game 5 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Sunday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Missouri's Braxton Leible throws to first base for an out during Game 5 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Hawaii on Sunday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Ezra Pule-Nicholas delivers to the plate during Game 5 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Missouri on Sunday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Hawaii's Justice Gabrillo throws to first base hoping to complete a double play as Missouri's Jackson Brown slides into second base during Game 5 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series on Sunday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
Missouri's Braxton Leible throws to first base for an out during Game 5 of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series against Hawaii on Sunday at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Matt Spielman
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Through two days of the Babe Ruth 13-year-old World Series, Mililani, Hawaii, has been nearly flawless defensively.
The Pacific Southwest Region champions are 2-0 in the American Division, thanks to their pitching and defense.
Ezra Pule-Nicholas tossed five innings of shutout, one-hit relief, striking out six as Hawaii beat Southeast, Missouri, 4-0 in Game 5 of the tournament Sunday morning at Diethrick Park.
Entering after a pair of shutout innings from starter Shyne-Don Sanchez, Pule-Nicholas needed just 61 pitches to navigate the final 17 batters of the game. The only base runners the right-hander allowed came in the fifth inning when the Midwest Plains Region champion's Parker Jacobson led off with a single and Eli Horrell was hit by a pitch with one out. But Hawaii got out of the inning with a popout and a groundout to keep the shutout intact.
Pitching with a 3-0 lead, Pule-Nicholas - his team's Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game - got the final six outs with three strikeouts, two popouts and a groundout.
Hawaii jumped on top early as leadoff batter Justice Gabrillo singled, went to second on a groundout and third on an error before scoring on Shiloh Irvine's sacrifice fly.
In Hawaii's second inning, Isaac Saoit and Stansen Verbeckmoes led off with back-to-back singles before eventually scoring on a wild pitch and a passed ball, respectively.
Hawaii's final run came in the sixth. Logan Kawakami was hit by a pitch to open the frame, went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lowen Badayos-Asanion and scored on an RBI double by Chaysten Fuentes.
Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game Waylon Basler was the tough-luck loser on the mound for Missouri. The right-hander threw a complete-game seven-hitter with no walks and one hit batter.
Missouri returns to action at 1:30 p.m. Monday against Janesville, Wisconsin, while Hawaii will follow that game at 4:30 p.m. against Nederland, Texas.