Ka’olu Holt pitched a complete game to lead Hawai’i to a 3-0 victory over South Korea in the Little League World Series championship.
SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — It took only one pitch for Mana Lau Kong to deliver Hawai’i its first Little League World Series title in a decade.
Kong homered to center field on the first pitch his team saw Sunday, and Ka’olu Holt pitched a complete game to lead Hawai’i to a 3-0 victory over South Korea in the Little League World Series championship.
It’s the first Little League World Series title for Hawai’i since 2008. Hawai’i is now one of seven U. S. states with at least three LLWS championships.
Hawai’i got two runs in the third inning by capitalizing on a rare miscue from South Korea.
A wild pitch from starter Kim Yeong-hyeon scored Zachary Won, and Taylin Oana ran in all the way from second after an errant throw home. The mistake was just the second error of the tournament for South Korea.
Holt allowed just two hits and struck out seven.
Seoul, South Korea, has played in three of the past six LLWS title games, but won only once — in 2014. It lost in 2016 to Maine-Endwell, New York.