SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Kama Angell was a heavenly hitter for Hawaii in the final of the 75th Little League World Series.
Angell had a solo home run and a three-run double to cap a six-RBI day, and Keko Payanal added a solo homer as Hawaii cruised to a 13-3 victory in the championship game at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It was the fourth LLWS title for Hawaii and the second for the Honolulu Little League squad, which dominated this year’s tournament.
Jaythan Cordilia’s two-run single in the top of the fourth inning allowed Curacao to pull within 12-3. But he allowed Angell’s RBI single in the bottom of the inning to end the game by the 10-run mercy rule.
After allowing a run on a wild pitch in the first inning, Hawaii starter Jaron Lancaster was nearly flawless, allowing three hits and two more runs. The right-hander struck out 10.
Pabao Little League pitchers from Curacao hit five batters, threw two wild pitches and allowed bases-clearing doubles during the game. Hawaii iced the game by scoring seven runs in the third inning and then weathered Curacao’s mini-rally in the fourth.
The Honolulu squad, champions of the U.S. West division and the U.S. bracket, erased a one-run deficit with solo homers by Angell and Payanal in the first inning, then added three more runs in the second inning to take a 5-1 lead.
Hawaii followed in the footsteps of squads from 2005, 2008 and 2018 to grab the biggest prize in Little League baseball. It reached the final with a 5-1 victory against Nolensville, Tennessee.
It was the first year since 2019 that international teams participated in the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also the first year of the tournament’s expansion. This year’s field increased to 20.
Curacao, the international bracket champions, was trying to win its first LLWS title since 2004.
Curacao scored its first run when Davey-Jay Rijke advanced on a wild pitch by Lancaster in the first inning. They added two more runs in the top of the fourth on Cordilia’s single to keep their hopes alive.