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Sports

MB Senior All-Stars Lose to Hawaii

Manager Carlos Rojas applauds his players for being runner-up to a strong Big Island team that advances to the Little League World Series.

ONTARIO – The team from Hawaii’s Big Island broke out the big bats Tuesday, ending the Manhattan Beach dream of returning to the Little League Senior Division World Series.

An estimated 570 fans watched Hilo Little League pound 14 hits on the way to a 9-1 victory in the finals of the Little League Western Region Tournament at Jay Littleton Ball Park.

It was just the second loss for the 2011 Manhattan Beach Senior All-Stars in 15 tournament games.

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“I said all along that today’s game would be like David and Goliath,” said MB manager Carlos Rojas. “Hawaii has a real good team. They can hit for power, they have speed and they can pitch.”

Manhattan Beach defeated Hilo 5-4 in the Western Region final a year ago to advance to the Little League Senior Division World Series in Bangor, Maine.  This year, it will be Hawaii representing the Western Region in Bangor Aug. 14-20.

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Including last season's play, Rojas’ teams are 32-3 in all-star competition.

While the loss Tuesday was a disappointment for the 2011 Little League Southern California champs, Rojas said, the MB coaches and players will share good memories for years to come.

Rojas tipped his cap to the Casady triplets, Braden, Carter and Jackson, as well as Turner Conrad, Trent Hammond and Jack Hadley, who were there for all 32 wins.

Rojas also praised Christian Reynolds, Cooper Griffith, Gregory Whitaker, Gregory French, Richard O’Reilly, Kevin Lopez, David Odle, Garrett Wells, Jack Webber and Jared Terry, who tasted victory 13 times with this year’s MB all-stars.

Rojas expressed appreciation for the work put in by coaches Aaron Medina and Russ Kontos.

“I’m proud of my team,” Rojas said. “It’s been a great ride.”

Hawaii pitcher Korin Medieros held MB to three hits over 5-2/3 innings. He struck out six and walked two.

“It’s been a long time since anyone has held us to three hits,” Rojas said. “Their pitcher was special.”

Only MB’s Hammond and O’Reilly solved Hawaii’s crafty lefty. In three at-bats, Hammond belted a double, smacked a single and walked. Hammond’s solid single in the sixth inning drove in Jack Hadley, who had walked, for MB’s lone run.

O’Reilly smacked a solid single to lead off the third inning. But he was doubled up on a hit-and-run attempt.

Hawaii second-baseman Chayce Kaaua made a tremendous diving catch in short left field on a looping line drive by Lopez and fired to first to retire O’Reilly.

“They’re a helluva team and a class act,” Hilo manager Kaha Wong said of MB. “We needed to play our best if we were going to beat them.”

With a little luck, Hawaii struck first with two runs in the top of the first. With one out, Koa Matson ripped a double to the left-centerfield fence, moved to third on Korin Medeiros’ single, and scored when Chayce Kaaua’s soft liner tipped off Hammond’s glove at shortstop and the ball rolled into left field.

Kaimana Moike’s infield squib hit moved Kaaua to second. Matson scored on Quintin Torres-Costa’s line drive single to make the score 2-0.

Matson was Hawaii’s hitting star, belting three doubles, driving in three runs and scoring once in three at-bats. Matson, Hawaii’s catcher, threw out two MB runners trying to steal second base.

Luck turned to skill as Hawaii scored in each of the next three innings.
In the third inning, Medeiros boomed a double and scored on a double by Matson to make the score 3-0.

In the fourth inning, Hawaii scored three times on three hits and a hit batsman, knocking MB starting pitcher Conrad out of the game. It was Matson again with the key hit, driving in two runs with his third double.

In the fifth, Hawaii scored three times on a double by Kaimana Moike, and three singles by Torres-Costa, Kean Wong and Medieros.

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