Shutout lifts Hilo in Ripken opener
By Carlin Cook
Special to The Advertiser
ABERDEEN, Md. — Making it all the way to the Cal Ripken World Series is not all the team from Hilo, Hawai'i, hopes to achieve this week. That was apparent yesterday as the team won its first game, 2-0, over Kennewick, Wash., on the Fenway Park field at the Ripken complex.
The shutout came in the first game of the World Series for 12-year-olds.
Ekolu Martins pitched the first two innings for Hilo, striking out five and walking one. Ridge Hoopii-Haslam pitched the next two, striking out another five, and allowing one hit. In the first four innings, Hilo also had only one hit off of Kennewick's Franky Murillo.
In the Hilo fifth, Kian Kurokawa walked, then Kiana Wong and Anson Arruda each bunted safely to load the bases. Kean Wong then singled in the first run.
In the bottom of the fifth, Hoopii-Haslam, who earned the victory, was replaced by Kawika Pruett, who pitched the last two, striking out four, allowing only one hit and earning the save.
Pruett gave himself and Hilo an insurance run, hitting a long home run over the right-field fence. It was the first home run hit at Fenway Park during a Cal Ripken World Series game.
Pruett was awarded the Ron Tellefsen Player of the Game award.
"It was kind of like a rush of excitement," Pruett said.
Manager Kaha Wong was pleased with his team's win, but also paid tribute to the Kennewick team.
"That pitcher from Washington was unbelievable," Wong said.
Hilo yesterday chose not to take pre-game infield practice.
Manager Kaha Wong said after the game he felt his players were having a hard time adjusting to the six-hour time difference between Hawai'i and the East Coast, and wanted them as rested as possible for the game.
"We're trying to adjust to the time change," Wong said.
On Saturday, Martins won the Home Run Derby in the skills competition. He hit eight home runs in the first round, four in the semifinals and five in the finals.
"It feels exciting because it's my first year here and my last year to play in this age bracket," Martins said about being the home run champ.
