Christopher Garia allowed two hits, and Willemsted, Curacao, scored 11 runs in the fifth inning to rout Mangilao-Barrigado, Guam 16-1 on Thursday and advance to the international championship game in the Little League World Series.
Struggling offensively coming into the game, the defending champs from the Pabao Little League sent 15 batters to the plate in the top of the fifth to end Guam's chances. The game ended after Guam hit in the bottom of the inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Alexander Rodriguez keyed a three-run second inning with a bases-loaded single and Sherman La Crus homered and doubled as Curacao (3-1) earned a matchup with Japan on Saturday. Guam was eliminated.
Later, Sheyne Baniaga homered onto the hill beyond the left-field wall and Kini Enos scattered five hits over five innings to help West Oahu of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, defeat Lafayette, Louisiana 2-0 and earn a berth in Saturday's US championship game against Rancho Bueno Vista of Vista, California.
Curacao was hitting .182 for the tournament coming into Thursday's game and had just four hits over its previous two outings. They face a tough task on Saturday against Japan, which beat Curacao 9-0 earlier in the tournament.
Guam (3-1) scored its only run in the first inning after Gerald Borja walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch and went to third on a fielder's choice. Borja then scored on another Garia wild pitch.
Garia dominated after that, at one point striking out five straight hitters. He didn't allow a hit until Alomar Rdialul doubled to the right-field corner in the fifth inning. Garia was lifted for a reliever three batters later.
Down 1-0, Curacao took control in the top of the second after loading the bases following Ingemar Haime's bunt single down the third-base line. Rodriguez followed with his single to left that scored two runs and gave Curacao a 2-1 lead.
In the next inning, La Crus hit a home run that landed beyond the left center-field fence.
La Crus also doubled to left in the fifth and scored on another Rodriguez single with the bases loaded. After just beating the throw home, La Crus jumped up, slapped his hands and swaggered back to the dugout.
In the late game, Baniaga's homer with a runner on first was the only hit allowed by Lafayette starter Jace Conrad.
The shot spoiled an otherwise fine pitching performance from Conrad, who held the big boppers from West Oahu (4-0) hitless for the first three innings.
Hawaii entered the contest batting .333, with eight home runs in their first three games.
Lafayette (2-2) threatened in the top of the third after Jace's brother, Brenn, reached on a fielder's choice and Sam Scofield doubled to put runners on second and third.
But Enos got Jace Conrad to bounce out to first base on the next pitch.
Lefty Quentin Guevara relived Enos in the sixth and final inning, and got Connor Toups to ground out to second to end the game and eliminate Lafayette.
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