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Central into semifinals of Intermediate West Regional

Minors squad wins state championship

The Maui News – Dylan Kokubun came within a home run of the cycle and Keoni Painter had two doubles among his four hits as Central East Maui continued its dominant run through the Little League Intermediate (12-13) 50/70 Division postseason by defeating Bainbridge Island, Wash., 13-2 in five innings on Tuesday in a West Regional quarterfinal game in Nogales, Ariz.

Also on Tuesday, Central won the Minors (9-10) state title by defeating Hilo 14-3 in Kailua, Oahu.

The Intermediate regional semifinals and final are scheduled for today — Central will face Nogales for a spot in the title game. Sunnyside of Tucson, Ariz., will play North Natomas of Sacramento, Calif., in the other semifinal.

The Intermediate World Series is scheduled for Sunday to Aug. 6 in Livermore, Calif.

Central improved to 5-0 in the regional tournament, and is 9-0 in state and regional play, outscoring opponents 141-25.

Kokubun finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs. He doubled home a run in the first inning, hit a two-run single in the second and had an RBI triple and later scored in the fourth. Kokubun also pitched the last two-thirds of an inning, getting both outs by strikeout — Maui used five pitchers altogether in a two-hitter.

Painter scored three runs and had a stolen base. He has five doubles and a homer in the team’s last four games.

In the Minors game, Issac Imamura, Nakea Kahalehau and Jaren Pascual homered for Central, which went 3-0 in the tournament, outscoring opponents 39-7.

The Minors Division does not have regional or World Series play.

Central had already advanced to today’s final round of the Senior (15-16) regional in Sacramento, and will need to win once in two games against North Oakland, Calif., to reach the Senior World Series, scheduled for Saturday to Aug. 5 in Easley, S.C.

North Oakland defeated Nogales 5-1 in an elimination game Tuesday to make the final.

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