Aukai Kea again was dealing for Hawaii’s Honolulu Little League, throwing 64 strikes in an 81-pitch, 3-0 shutout of Peachtree City (Ga.) American Little League in the 2018 Little League Baseball World Series Unites States Championship Game, played at Howard J. Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pa., on Saturday afternoon.
The pitching was strong on both sides, but Aukai was in control from the start, striking out 15, and surrendering just three hits and a one walk. Conner Riggs-Soper and Ben Traxler fanned five and scatter six hits for the Southeast Region Champs.
The game was scoreless for three innings-plus innings, but in the bottom of the fourth Honolulu Little League broke through with a run and followed up with two more in its half of the fifth inning to secure the U.S. title.
Offensively for the U.S. Champs, Hunter Nishina collected a double and scored a run, while Bruce Boucher lined an RBI double. Tai Peete led Southeast with two hits in three at bats.
Honolulu Little League will play South Seoul (South Korea) Little League on Sunday afternoon for the 72nd LLB World Series championship. The game at Lamade Stadium is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Eastern U.S. time on ABC television.