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Honolulu’s Kama Angell (right) is mobbed by his teammates after his game-winning hit in the fourth inning of the Little League World Series championship game against Curacao on Sunday. Honolulu won via mercy rule, 13-3. AP photos
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — For a week and a half at the Little League World Series, no team came close to Honolulu. The championship Sunday was no different.
The Hawaii state champions got back-to-back homers from Kekoa Payanal and Kama Angell in the first inning, sparking a 13-3 win in just four innings over Curacao.
The LLWS title is the fourth won by a Hawaii team. Honolulu won in 2018 and finished third last year, when COVID-19 travel restrictions prevented international teams from participating.
How good was Honolulu? In six games, all victories, the closest margin was four runs. They outscored opponents 60-5.
Honolulu players take a parade lap around Lamade Stadium with the Little League World Series championship banner after their win Sunday.
“We’re fortunate that everything clicked at the right moment,” Honolulu manager Gerald Oda said. “I’m very grateful that these kids played loose and relaxed.”
Part of that run was without Oda, who missed several games with COVID-19. Oda also managed Honolulu’s 2018 team.
“After 2018, I thought the next time I came to Williamsport was going to be as a spectator,” he said. “I never thought in my wildest dreams I’d be back in 2022 coaching a team.”
Honolulu starter Jaron Lancaster was dominant once again Sunday as he threw all four innings, allowing three runs on three hits while striking out 10.
“I knew Curacao was going to be a great team,” Lancaster said. “My mindset was to go out there, do my best and do my thing. I know my offense and defense got my back.”
Honolulu pitcher Jaron Lancaster delivers in the first inning.
Jaron’s father, James Lancaster, said all the work that went into the title run was worth it.
“It’s been a rough ride,” said James Lancaster, whose family lives about 4,800 miles from central Pennsylvania. “We haven’t been home in over a month.”
Curacao took the first lead of any team over Honolulu in the tournament when Davey Jay-Rijke led off the game with what looked like a bloop single, but he bolted on to second when neither middle infielder covered that bag. Davey-Jay eventually came around to score on a wild pitch.
“Sooner or later, someone’s going to score,” Oda said. “We told our kids to keep fighting and battling. It’s going to be a great day.”
Honolulu only trailed for a few minutes. A home run from lead-off hitter Payanal to left field and a shot by Angell that barely cleared the wall in center reignited the Hawaii side and put the team from the West Region up 2-1. It also chased Curacao starter Shemar Jacobus.
“Any time when someone can score a run that’s huge,” Oda said. “When someone hits a home run, the whole team gets excited and lifts everyone’s spirits.”
The game ended in the fourth inning when Angell hit a single down the left-field line that scored Esaiah Wong to clinch the victory and another championship for Hawaii.
Under Little League rules, a team wins if it is leading by 10 runs or more after four innings.
“I saw the ball go down and I saw coach sending in Ruston (Hiyoto),” Angell said. “I was very emotional. It was the best time I had in my life.”
Curacao sits at one title, which came back in 2004. But the team from a small Caribbean island with a population about the size of Springfield, Mass., made it to the final in 2019 as well as this year.
“I’m so proud of these guys,” said Curacao manager Zaino Everett, whose team won five elimination games to get to the title game. “We are a champion and the second team in the whole world. Nobody expected us to be here.”
After the trophy presentation and news conference were over, and most fans were gone, the Hawaii players celebrated their title in just the way a bunch of 10-to-12-year-old boys would. They went sliding on cardboard sheets down the big hill behind Lamade Stadium.
*****
Little League World Series
At Williamsport, Pa.
Saturday’s Results
International championship–Willemstad, Curacao 1, Taipei City, Chinese Taipei 0
U.S. championship–Honolulu 5, Nolensville, Tenn. 1
Sunday’s Results
Third Place–Chinese Taipei 2, Nolensville, Tenn. 0
Championship–Honolulu 13, Willemstad, Curacao 3, 4 innings
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