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August 20, 2011 Hilo batters Rose Capital East for world title, 11-1 Hilo becomes first 2-time Bangor series champ and first to win title by 10 or more runs
Communications Staff Hilo, Hawaii, used a potent offense, consistent pitching and a strong defense to post five wins in the 2011 Senior League World Series leading into today’s championship game against Rose Capital East of Tyler, Texas. Saturday, the U.S. West regional champions showed why they finished the tournament undefeated with an impressive 11-1 win over Rose Capital East. Hilo became the first two-time champion in the 10 years that the series has been held at Bangor’s Mansfield Stadium, joining the 2003 Hilo team that defeated Central Chesterfield L.L., Chesterfield, Va., 16-8. Hilo also became the first team in Bangor’s 10-year series history to win the championship game by the 10-run mercy rule, which caused some momentary confusion before the umpires signaled the game’s end. Korin Medeiros started the scoring with an RBI single to left, bringing home Chayce Kaaua, who had doubled to center with two outs. When teammates Kolten Yamaguchi and Koa Matson each followed with singles, it appeared that Hilo would break the game open early, but Rose Capital East starter Jacob Spitzer coaxed a groundout to keep the score at 1-0.
Rose Capital East (5-1) managed to cut the lead to 8-1 in the top of the fifth, courtesy of Jacob Wadle’s double to left, which scored Asher Boudreaux (pinch running from Sawyer Dorsey, who had reached on a fielder’s choice). Matson then ended the game by drilling a three-run double to right center with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. He finished with two hits and three RBIs, while Korin Medeiros doubled, singled twice and drove in a pair of runs. Other offensive support came from Kean Wong (two singles) and Kaaua (two singles, double, RBI), who led a 16-hit Hilo attack. Wong finished the series with 12 hits, one shy of the record set in 2006 by Eduardo Cuba, Paraguana L.L., Falcon, Venezuela, and a .522 batting average. Kaaua also finished with 12 hits, batting .632.
Quintin Torres-Costa took advantage of all the offensive support by allowing just three hits and one earned run over five innings, striking out six and walking none. Spitzer and Mason Mallard each singled for Rose Capital East, the U.S. Southwest regional champion, who had scored 10 runs in two straight games entering today’s final. Rose Capital’s team batting average dropped from .373 entering the contest to .351, while its pitching staff’s ERA jumped from 1.91 to 3.53. Post game audio: Rose Capital East |
Hilo broke the game open with a seven-run third inning, highlighted by Kolten Medeiros (RBI double), Kori
Medeiros (RBI single), Keenan Nishioka (RBI single) and Andy Filoeto (RBI single).
As a team, Hilo hit .434 for the series, only 10 points off the record .444 posted by Paraguana in 2006.