SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Struggling with only one run on four hits in the first five innings yesterday against imposing 5-foot-11, 154-pound heat-throwing Lake Charles (La.) pitcher Trey Quinn, the Waipi'o Little League baseball team did not give in.

"We haven't faced a pitcher with his three-quarter arm slot, but we just listened to what our coach (Timo Donahue) said, he told us we would get to him," said second baseman/pitcher Tanner Tokunaga. "But then they took him out, so we just had to get to the other guy."

The "other guy" — reliever Gunner Leger — proved to be much more hittable and Waipi'o responded with six runs on five hits in the top of the sixth inning to turn a 5-1 deficit into a stunning 7-5 lead before shutting out Lake Charles in the bottom half to win the Little League (ages 11-12) World Series United States Championship.

Waipi'o, only the third Hawai'i team to win a U.S. title in the 61-year history of the LLWS, will face International Champion Mexico at 9:30 a.m. (Hawai'i time) today for the overall crown. The game will be televised nationally on ABC and locally on KITV.

'Ewa Beach (2005) is the only other Hawai'i team to win youth baseball's most prestigious title.

It looked like Waipi'o would not be following in 'Ewa Beach's footsteps yesterday, as more than a few in the Lamade Stadium crowd of about 22,700 started to head for the exits after Lake Charles scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to take what seemed to be a commanding 5-1 lead into the sixth and final inning.

But Quinn, who struck out seven and walked only one in five innings, moved to center field to start the sixth despite being three pitches under the LLWS limit of 85 for the game. Lake Charles manager Charlie Phillips said the pitch count was not a factor in his decision to not let Quinn start the sixth inning.

"It was time for him to come out," Phillips said. "You could see in the inning before, he left some balls up (in the zone), so there is no hindsight here. In the regional final, we brought Gunner in (to close) and he slammed the door, so we wouldn't be here without him. It just didn't happen today."

Donahue said he was preparing a strategy for Tokunaga, his leadoff batter in the sixth.

"Obviously, it didn't look good being four runs down with only three outs to go," Donahue said. "I was expecting Quinn to pitch to one batter, so I was thinking of an approach for that. But then they brought in (Leger), and we do pretty good against lefties."

Tokunaga hit a 3-1 pitch to left field for a single, then Pikai Winchester followed with a double that bounced over the left field fence. Tokunaga then scored on Iolana Akau's ground single to center.

A groundout to second by Khade Paris brought home Winchester to make it 5-3, and Caleb Duhay followed with a single to score Akau. After the next batter struck out, Keelen Obedoza walked to load the bases for leadoff batter Christian "C-boy" Donahue.

Lake Charles then elected to bring in right-hander Peyton McLemore, with Leger moving to first base.

Donahue, a switch-hitter swinging from the left side, ripped a 2-2 pitch down the first-base line. Leger smothered the ball, but could not find it in time as Donahue reached safely and Duhay scored the tying run.

"When I saw him bobble the ball, I just started running harder," said the diminutive Donahue, who celebrated by jumping on the bag repeatedly while punching the sky.

Tokunaga then ripped a McLemore offering into the left-center alley for a two-run double to put Waipi'o up, 7-5.

"I was just thinking, 'Get a solid hit,' " said Tokunaga, who struck out twice in his first two at-bats before the single to lead off the sixth.

McLemore finally got a pop-up to second to end the inning, but reliever Trevor Ling — facing Lake Charles' top three in the lineup — retired the side in order to set off a jubilant on-field celebration.

"In each and every one of our games, we've had the same approach — just take it one game at a time, one day at a time," said Timo Donahue, whose team faced elimination after the first day of the state championships back in mid-July. "They're showing again that they have a never-give-up attitude. Each and every one of them did his part, and they stuck together as a team.

"It seemed like we didn't have a chance, but that's why the game is played ... anything can happen."