SAN BERNARDINO — The players of Eastvale Little League knew that whatever happened, they did it together.
With a spot at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, on the line, the Southern California 12-and-under baseball champions struggled to make contact and mustered only three hits in a 2-1 loss to Hawaii in the West Region championship game on Friday night at Al Houghton Stadium.
“We’re disappointed but it just so happens that we ran into one of the best left-handers in the nation,” Eastvale Little League manager Corey Tatum said.
Hawaii players celebrate after defeating Eastvale 2-1 to win the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii’s Evan Tavares celebrates after sliding safetly into the plate to score in the first inning as Eastvale catcher Grady Gentner puts down the late tag during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii starting pitcher Evan Tavares delivers a pitch to the during the first inning against Eastvale during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii’s Evan Tavares slides safetly into the plate to score in the first inning as Eastvale catcher Grady Gentner puts down the late tag during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale’s Jack Mette races to the plate to score against Hawaii to the tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale’s Jack Mette slides safely into the plate to score against Hawaii to the tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii starting pitcher Evan Tavares delivers a pitch to the during the first inning against Eastvale during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii’s Evan Tavares reacts after scoring in the fifth inning to give Hawaii a 2-1 lead over Eastvale during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale shortstop Preston Erickson throws out a Hawaii batter during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii players celebrate after defeating Eastvale 2-1 to win the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii starting pitcher Evan Tavares reacts after making one of his 13 strikeouts against Eastvale during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale Little League manager Corey Tatum stands with his team prior to playing Hawaii in the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale’s Jack Mette races to the plate to score against Hawaii to the tie the game at 1-1 in the second inning during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Hawaii starting pitcher Evan Tavares delivers a pitch to the during the first inning against Eastvale during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale shortstop Preston Erickson throws out a Hawaii batter during the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale’s Preston Erickson shows his disappointment after losing to Hawaii 2-1, to end their season, following the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale’s Cameron Villamil, right, is consoled by Hawaii’s Gabriel Laloulu, left, following their 2-1 loss, ending their season, following the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale Little League players show their disappoint after losing to Hawaii 2-1, to end their season, following the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
Eastvale Little League players show their disappoint, as manager Corey Tatum, far right, watches Hawaii celebrate following their 2-1 loss to Hawaii, to end their season, following the the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
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Hawaii players celebrate after defeating Eastvale 2-1 to win the Little League Western Regional Championship Game at Al Houghton Stadium in San Bernardino on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024. Central East Maui defeated Eastvale Little League 2-1 to advance to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, PA. (Photo by Will Lester, Inland Valley Daily Bulletin/SCNG)
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East Central Maui Little League starting pitcher Evan Tavares was dominant through 5⅓ innings, striking out a tournament-high 13 batters to lead Hawaii back to the World Series.
“That was Evan doing Evan,” Hawaii manager Daniel Bolduc said. “We’ve seen him do this before, 15 strikeouts, 14 strikeouts, both at the state tournament.”
Tavares helped his own cause from the beginning, scoring on a wild pitch to give Hawaii a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. He then struck out the side in the bottom half to set a tone for the rest of the game.
“I felt good, and the entire team was pumping,” Tavares said. “We just wanted to smash them.”
Tavares struck out two or more batters in each of his five full frames, allowing just a solo run in the second inning after Jack Mette singled and came around to score on a wild pitch.
“He’s a phenomenal pitcher and we tried to run up his pitch count, swing at strikes and lay off the outside stuff,” Tatum said. “We did our job but it was just a little too late.”
Tavares added the game-winning run after reaching on an error in the fifth, advancing on a ground out and scoring from second base on an RBI single from Hayden Takahashi.
“There was a little more pressure because of the crowd,” said Tavares, noting the more than 12,000 spectators at the game. “That was a big crowd. It was great.”
Removed after allowing a single to Jayden Lam (2 for 2) in the sixth, Tavares was replaced by Kanon Nakama, who got a strikeout and a ground out to finish the game and send Hawaii to its fifth World Series in the past six years.
“This is huge for us,” Bolduc said. “To do this for the people of Maui and Lahaina, and the support they’ve given us has been unreal. This is amazing.”
Cruz, who tossed a shutout in the West Region opener for Eastvale, allowed just three hits and struck out seven as the team had its nine-game winning streak snapped.
“Gavin is a warrior, and he kept us in it the whole way,” Tatum said. “He couldn’t wait to get to this game and he gave us a shot.”
Cruz, who had reached base successfully in each of his six tournament at-bats, struck out twice against Tavares as Eastvale lost for the first time since the opening game of the Southern California state tournament on July 21.
NEVADA WINS MOUNTAIN REGION
Wyatt Erickson made quick work of his second start of the tournament, hurling a no-hitter as Paseo Verde Little League (Nevada) captured the Mountain Region championship with a 2-0 victory over Dixie Little League (Utah) on Friday.
“I kind of felt it in the first inning. I was feeling pretty good (and) I had a groove going into the fifth and sixth inning,” said Erickson, who struck out four and faced just one batter above the minimum.
A Mountain Region finalist in 2022, the Henderson-based team did not allow a run over 18 innings in San Bernardino and now advances to its first Little League World Series, beginning next week.
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