Hawaii manager Daniel Buldoc knows that his team can hit from top to bottom. There’s solid players from leadoff, cleanup down through Nos. 12 and 13.
So far at the Little League World Series, Hawaii’s lineup hasn’t hit consistently throughout, but that doesn’t mean Central East Maui Little League isn’t producing results.
So far at the Little League World Series through two games, it’s been the middle and bottom parts of Hawaii’s lineup that has driven in runs.
“Pretty much our whole team can hit. I’m honestly still waiting for that moment to happen, but if the top’s not doing anything and the bottom is, we’ll take it any way we can get it,” Hawaii manager Daniel Buldoc said.
That’s what happened on Friday at Lamade Stadium. Hawaii scored five runs, four of which came from batters Nos. 9 through 13.
Hawaii scored a run in the first inning when Evan Tavares scored after being driven in on an RBI single by Kanon Nakama, but after that, Illinois held the top portion of Hawaii’s lineup silent. Hawaii’s first eight batters in the lineup combined for just one hit — Nakama’s single — but the bottom half stepped up and helped produce offense.
Gabriel Laloulu scored twice, and reached thanks to a walk and being hit by pitch. Matthew Yang, batting in the No. 11 hole, had two singles in his two plate appearances. Kamalei Leynes-Santos, batting 12th, was hit by a pitch twice and scored in the thrid and Jet Pontes, the No. 13 hitter at the bottom of the lineup, had a walk and fielder’s choice and scored as well.
Three of those runs came in the third inning, which helped Hawaii gain some separation against Illinois and have breathing room.
“Oh yeah, 100%. You can put up runs, life starts to get a little easier in the dugout,” Buldoc said.
“It felt good getting a lead for our pticher to have some room to work,” Laloulu said.
Yang, batting 11th, was the only Hawaii player on Friday to collect multiple hits as he went 2 for 2. As a team, Hawaii was limited to just three singles but took advantage of five hit batters, four walks and an error to plate runs.
“I was barreling the ball up and hitting hard,” Yang said.
Taking advantage of those free base runners that Illinois gave Hawaii helped get the win.
“That’s the game. Our last game, that’s kind of what put us in some bad predicaments with walks and bad pitches,” Buldoc said. “Obviously everybody tries to avoid that, more pressure on your guys, but hey, a win’s a win, right?”
In Wednesday’s 3-1 Little League World Series opener over Salem, New Hampshire, Hawaii saw its Nos. 5, 6 and 11 batters deliver with three of the team’s six hits. Hayden Takahashi went 2 for 2 in Wednesday’s game with two RBIs, Eassie Miller, batting sixth, was 1 for 1 with an RBI and Yang, batting 11th, went 1 for 2.
Whenever Hawaii needs a spark in the lineup, it seems the players deliver.
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Publish date : 2024-08-16 23:15:00
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