A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable..

A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.

Williamsport, Pa. —Honolulu Little League opened their second game of the 2022 Little League World Series with a bang as Kekoa Payanal launched a shot over the left field fence.

The entire Honolulu squad met Payanal at home plate to slap his head all the way back to the dugout along the third base line. It was that type of night again as the boys from Honolulu prevailed with a 12-0 win over Metro. The game ended in just five innings as Honolulu enforced the ten-run-rule with a six-run fifth inning.

“The first home run was a big energy push for our team,” Payanal said. “Since the first home run happened, we were all excited. Our team got super excited and rallied around it.”  

Payanal liked the lead-off home run so much he doubled his efforts in the fourth inning for a second home run over the left field wall. It was a similar shot, but this time Esaiah Wong was on base as the home run pushed the Honolulu advantage to 5-0.

The early offense continued for Honolulu as Cohen Sakamoto opened the second inning with a double to the left field fence. Sakamoto reached second standing up and signaled to his dugout after the connection.

“We had a huge advantage tonight with one game under our belt,” coach Keith Oda said. “The other night we were really nervous before our game. We told the boys that we have a big advantage. We experienced what it was like. The first at bat of every inning we just had to attack, attack, attack.”

Sakamoto got to join his teammates a short time later when Tau Purcell chipped a ball over short for an RBI single. Purcell was called out at second to end the inning after Michael Clark made a difficult stop at third to throw the runner out.

The offense continued to come for Honolulu as Lancaster helped his own cause with a shot over the centerfield wall. As the ball left his bat the Honolulu faithful had already started cheering. The centerfielder barely moved as the ball sailed over his head.

Much like Payanal, Lancaster was greeted with head slaps at home that followed him all the way to the dugout. Kama Angell reached on a single in shallow centerfield, but was stranded at first after a line out to left field ended the inning.

Lancaster, who combined with Cohen Sakamoto for a no-hitter, kept his day going with a triple in the fourth inning. He quickly made his way around the bases and then took home on a passed ball just two pitches after the triple. Daly Watson and Kama Angell each singled, but the inning ended with a flyout to centerfield.

Honolulu’s ability to add runs in nearly every inning showed the depth of their team under the lights of historic Lamade Stadium in Williamsport. It also put the rest of the United State bracket on notice as Honolulu proved it has offensive and defensive depth at every spot.

Wong helped prove that point in the fourth inning when he came on as a pinch-hitter. He jumped on the second offering of the at bat to put a ball into left field for a single. Payanal then brought him home, adding to the Honolulu lead.

Wong wasn’t finished with just the single. In the fifth, after two walks put runners into scoring position, he sent a ball over the centerfield wall for a three-run home run.

“I didn’t have the best game in our first one,” Wong said. “Today, when Kekoa (Payanal) hit the home run I was so excited. I was just ready to get into the game. When I got called up, I had to clutch up and help the team in any way.”

The home run gave Honolulu a commanding 9-0 lead as the combination of Lancaster and Sakamoto proved unhittable.

“When Kekoa (Payanal) hit the home run I jumped up and fell down,” Wong said with a laugh. “When I hit the home run, I didn’t think it was going to go over. Then I was flexing around the bases and stomped on home plate.”  

Cohen Sakamoto also proved that point when he entered in the fourth inning to pitch.

Sakamoto kept the no-hitter going as he recorded his first two strikeouts and a fly out to right field to end the inning.

“Coming into the game knowing we were going to face their No. 1 pitcher, we knew the speed would be up there,” Metro manager Roland Clark said. “Between the first few innings there were four check swings which were uncharacteristic.”

Honolulu ace Jaron Lancaster settled in after issuing a walk to the first batter he faced. Lancaster then retired the next six batters to get into the third without a run scored on him.

The defense was there too as Payanal snagged a fast-moving ball in the middle of the infield for a quick force out at first. Outside of that play, the defense wasn’t needed much as Lancaster shut down Metro.

Lancaster, after hitting a home run in the top half of the inning, fanned two and fielded a grounder to end the inning and keep Honolulu’s advantage intact. Lancaster totaled 49 pitches with the final strike of the third inning.

Honolulu chased another Metro pitcher out of the game in the fifth when they scored six runs off three hits and five walks. That included the three-run shot by Wong, who batted twice in the inning. 

Jaron Lancaster, Cohen Sakamoto (4), and Kaeo Nouchi. Joey Lionetti, Danny Fregara (3), and Ryan Huksloot.

Top Honolulu hitters: Kekoa Payanal 2-4, 2 HR, 2 runs, 3 RBI; Jaron Lancaster 2-3, HR, 2 runs, 2 RBI. Top Metro hitters: NO hits.

Records: Honolulu 2-0. Metro 0-1.  

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A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.

A few clouds. Low 64F. Winds light and variable.

Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 89F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.