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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, August 31, 2008

Parade of hits and runs for Waipi‘o



Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Tanner Tokunaga put the game away with a fifth-inning grand slam off Tampa, Fla., pitcher Darren Miller. Greeting Tokunaga at home were Jedd Andrade, above left, and Keelen Obedoza. Tokunaga's hit turned a 6-2 game into a 10-2 rout. Pikai Winchester drove in three.

Photos by GENE J. PUSKAR | Associated Press

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser
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SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Pikai Winchester drove in three runs and Waipi'o overcame an early two-run deficit to beat Tampa, Fla., 10-2, at the Little League World Series.

Down 2-0, Winchester had an RBI single to start the scoring in a four-run third inning for undefeated Hawai'i (2-0), which clinched a semifinal berth with the victory. He added a two-run double in the fourth.

Tanner Tokunaga sealed the game with a grand slam to center in the fifth off Florida pitcher Darren Miller.

"He just hung his curveball and I hit it good," Tokunaga said. "It was real exciting because it just busted the game open."

Reliever Trevor Ling settled Hawai'i down on the mound after Florida (1-1) plated two runs in the first inning. Ryan McCullers and Michael McGuire both scored that inning on wild pitches by Hawai'i starter Khade Paris.

"I was really nervous," Ling said. "I tried taking deep breaths to calm me down."

Wyatt Reid and Danny Lastra each added two hits for Florida.

"That's a good team, a very good team," Tampa manager Joe McGuire said of Waipi'o. "They have a lot of good pitchers, too. They all threw the ball well."

Waipi'o will play one more pool game.

It will face Rapid City, S.D., which making the first appearance by the state in the Little League World Series.

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