WILLIAMSPORT, PA — Marvelous pitching and defense propelled the boys from Hawaii to a Little League World Series championship Sunday over South Korea. A day after shutting out Georgia to win the U.S. championship, Honolulu (5-0) defeated South Seoul 3-0 in a two-hit shutout.
Hawaii could not have started the game any better. Starting pitcher Ka’olu Holt struck out two of the four batters he faced in the top of the frame and Mana Lau Kong slugged a leadoff home run over the center field wall. Honolulu would scrape across two more runs in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a wild pitch and an error.
Kong, Taylin Oana and Zachary Won scored the runs for Hawaii.
Holt a threw a complete game shutout, striking out eight batters while giving up just two hits and a walk. He earned the win, needing just 79 pitches. The defense didn’t commit a single error.
South Korea starting pitcher Yeong Hyeon Kim labored through four tough innings, allowing six hits, two walks and a home run. He allowed three runs, all earned, and struck out eight batters.
Hawaii adds two more! #LLWS pic.twitter.com/KLbJRHPX5J
— Little League (@LittleLeague) August 26, 2018
Rosters
Hawaii
#00 Zachary Won OF
#1 John De la Cruz P, OF
#2 Aukai Kea P, 3B
#6 Chandler Murray OF
#11 Taylin Oana SS
#13 Mana Lau Kong P, 1B
#14 Kaolu Holt P, 3B
#15 Sean Yamaguchi P, 2B
#16 Kory Chu P, OF
#22 Jace Souza OF
#24 Bruce Boucher C
#26 Hunter Nishina OF
#43 Tanner Chun 2B, SS, OF
#99 Caleb Okada 1B, OF
South Korea
#1 Jun Woo Lim RF
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#4 Jae Woo Myoung CF
#5 Tae Hyun Kim 3B
#6 Jae Hyeok Lee 2B
#7 Jeong Hyeon Park SS
#8 Han Kyeol Kim P
#10 Shoo Hoo Choi 3B
#13 Woo Hyeon Lee 2B
#14 Yeong Hyeon Kim P
#15 Ji Hong Jeon C
#17 Ji Hyung Choi P
#18 Ho Hyeon Eom OF
#19 Ye Jun Kim 1B
#24 Gi Jeong Kim C
Photos courtesy of Little League Baseball and Softball / Graphics by Kristin Borden