Molokai to Represent District 3 at State Tournament

Molokai’s Kairos Torres-Umi rounds second base after hitting a two-run homer in the first inning Wednesday at Kalama Park in Kihei. Molokai defeated Central East Maui, 2-1. Photo by Glen Pascual.

By Rodney S. Yap

On the mound, Molokai pitcher Kairos Torres-Umi scattered five hits and struck out eight. At the plate, the right-hander cranked a first-pitch home run to right-center field in the first inning.

Molokai rode the talents of Torres-Umi Wednesday night to defeat Central East Maui, 2-1, in the championship tilt of the Hawaii State District 3 Little League Majors (11-12) Tournament at Kalama Park in Kihei.

A boisterous crowd of about 500 watched Molokai advances to the state tournament, slated for July 20-25 in Kailua on Oahu. The title win marked Molokai’s first trip to the state tournament since 2006.

Central East Maui was set to load the bases in the bottom of the sixth inning, but a head’s up play on a bunt with one out caught a Central base runner leaning towards home plate on a pickoff throw to third base. Torres-Umi whiffed the final batter two pitches shy of the 85-pitch limit to end the game and prompted a celebration in front of the visitors dug out.

Torres-Umi mixed his bread-and-butter fastball with timely off-speed pitches that kept Central East Maui out-of-sync offensively.

Central East Maui forced a winner-take-all final by beating Molokai in the first game 13-1.

Catcher Kekai Maliu added a double in the second game and Molokai committed only one error defensively.

Central East Maui produced 15 hits in the first game, three coming from Mahonri Anitema, who also scored three times. Nathan Facuri added three hits and three RBIs, while pitcher Anthony Hoopii-Tuinetoa threw a two-hitter and contributed a triple.

Central East Maui’s Kaimi Lay-Fuentes hit a double that bounced over the center-field fence Wednesday at Kalama Park in Kihei. Lay-Fuentes had Central’s only extra-base hit and one of only five hits in all. Photo by Glen Pascual.

Kaimi Lay-Fuentes had a double in the second game and only one at-bat.

Championships Result

Molokai 2, Central East Maui 1

Central East Maui 001 000—1

Molokai 200 00x—2

Nathan Facuri, Dalton Mata (4), Kaimi Lay-Fuentes (5) and Waylon Bacos; Kairos Torres-Umi and Kekai Maliu. W—Torres-Umi. L—Facuri. 2B—Molo, Kekai Maliu; CEM, Lay-Fuentes. HR—Torres-Umi.

Consolation Title Result

Central East Maui 13, Molokai 1, 4 innings

Central East Maui 425 2—13

Molokai 010 0— 1

Anthony Hoopii-Tuinetoa and Waylon Bacos; Ulladeemarl Nicolas, Kekai Adachi (3) and Kekai Maliu. W—Hoopii-Tuinetoa. L—Nicolas. 2B—CEM, Bacos; Molo, Adachi. 3B—Hoopii-Tuinetoa.

Leading hitters—CEM, Mahonri Anitema 3-3, 3 runs, RBI; Nathan Facuri 3-4, 3 RBIs; Treston Carter 2-3, run, RBI.