Nobu Yamauchi RBI coach Tony De Sa was cautiously optimistic after his 15-and-under team picked up its third win in two days because he knew pitchers like Dustin Morris were lurking behind the next corner.
De Sa figured Hawaii would face one of Baltimore’s best Sunday and Morris fit the bill, firing a complete game in a 1-0 victory to knock the Juniors out of the RBI World Series in Cincinnati.
Hawaii made a spirited run in its first World Series appearance since 2002, but it fell despite receiving more solid pitching. Brett Fujii allowed only an unearned run in four innings.
Baltimore entered the quarterfinals 0-3, but this was Morris’ first start. He struck out six and walked one, scattering six hits.
Hawaii had its chances, but coudn’t find a timely hit. The Juniors put two runners aboard in the second, third, sixth and seventh innings, but stranded seven runners, including five in scoring position.
In the bottom of the sixth, Steven Texeira singled and was held up at third on Ryan Ragual’s double, and Morris induced a grounder to end the inning.
Chris Hatakenaka-Gibbs walked to lead off the third, but he was erased as part of a double play, and Jacob Igawa’s subsequent double was wasted.
Baltimore scored in the fourth. Morris hit a one-out single, and with two outs he reached third on an error, and his courtesy runner came home on Charlie Lowe’s hit. Lowe was 2 for 3.
Ragual pitched a complete game in the clincher at regionals, but Hawaii needed him for only two outs of relief in Cincinnati thanks to strong pitching by Fujii and Briden Silva.
Fujii struck out one and yielded six hits. In eight innings at the World Series, he allowed only an unearned run. Silva gave up one hit in three scoreless innings against Baltimore, striking out two and walking two. Silva didn’t allow a run in six innings at the tournament.
Logan Respicio collected two more hits for Hawaii, finishing 7 for 12 at the World Series.
In the semifinals later in the day, Atlanta beat Baltimore 10-0. Hawaii beat Atlanta 3-1 on Saturday night.