TORRANCE (CNS) - The all-star team from the Torrance Little League lost 7-2 to its counterpart from the Honolulu Little League today in the championship game West Region Tournament. The Hawaiian state champions scored three times in both the fourth and fifth innings of the six-inning game, overcoming a 2-0 first-inning deficit at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino.
Both teams were assured of berths in the Little League World Series entering Saturday's game. With the Little League World Series limited to U.S. teams this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, each of the top two teams from all eight U.S. regions will advance to the World Series instead of just the champion. Pete Payanai tripled in three runs with two outs in the fourth, giving Honolulu a 4-2 lead. Honolulu (4-0) combined four singles, a walk and an error for three more runs in the fifth.
Grant Hays doubled in both Torrance runs in the first.
Dycen Miyake, the second of three Torrance pitchers, was charged with the loss, allowing six runs (five earned) and five hits in 1 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two. Reliever Tyler Shindo pitched the final three innings for the victory, allowing no runs, three hits, striking out two and walking three.
Torrance was out-hit, 10-9. Andrew Nuruki had three hits and Xavier Navarro two for Torrance (3-2).
Torrance was attempting to become the first Los Angeles County team to win the West Region Tournament since 1994 when the Northridge Little League all-stars won. Torrance was the first Los Angeles County team to reach the championship game of the regional tournament since 1994.
Since 2002, the region has consisted of the Northern California and Southern California champions, along with the Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah champions.
Honolulu is the third consecutive Hawaiian team to win the regional championship. It also won the championship in 2018. The all-star team from the Central East Maui Little League won the 2019 championship.
The tournament was not held in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. Torrance qualified for the Little League World Series Friday with a 6-0 victory over the all-star team from the Petaluma National Little League. Honolulu qualified with a 13-3 victory over Petaluma National Thursday in the modified double-elimination tournament.
Torrance and Honolulu will both begin play in the Little League World Series Thursday. Torrance will face the all-star team from the North Manchester-Hooksett (New Hampshire) Little League, the New England Region champion. Honolulu will face the all-star team from the Manchester (Connecticut) Little League, the New England Region runner-up.