SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. >> In some Little League communities, the season starts with a parade. Central Maui conducted its parade in the first inning of Thursday’s Little League West Region semifinal game.

Central Maui’s first six hitters singled and the next two batters also reached base as Central Maui scored five runs in the first inning of a 13-3 victory over Maidu, the Northern California representative. The game was shortened to five innings because of Little League’s 10-run mercy rule.

Central Maui earned a place in the West Region final on Saturday. Maidu Little League will play the Sunnyside Little League of Tucson, Ariz., today at 3 p.m. Central Maui will play the winner of that elimination game for the championship.

A Central Maui win on Saturday would send a Hawaii team to Williamsport, Pa., for the Little League World Series for the second straight year. Honolulu Little League captured the state’s third LLWS championship last summer.

In addition to getting 14 hits, Central Maui did not make an error. Central Maui coach Brad Lung said there wasn’t any plan to swing early in the count.

“I told them it was in your hands,” Lung said. “We just want them to make contact. Our team is very unselfish.”

Second baseman Isaac Imamura opened with a single to left, and Bransyn Hong followed with a single to right. Jaren Pascual’s single to center brought Imamura home with the first run.

Makea Kahalehau, Kamaha‘o Akima and Kaleb Mathias followed with singles, chasing Maidu starter Brady Fearn from the mound. Logan Kuloloia walked and Marley Sebastian reached on an error. Relief pitcher Jace Kim retired the next three batters to limit the damage.

Hong and Pascual, who was the starting pitcher, each had three hits. Nakea Kahalehau, who reached base three times, pitched the final 12⁄3 innings.

“I just want to throw strikes and adjust to their hitters,” said Pascual, who said his favorite player is David Ortiz. “My fastball and cutter were effective.”

Lung said his team sacrifices for each other.

“Our team is physically small, so we don’t hit a lot of home runs,” Lung said. “We get together as brothers who have each other’s backs.”

The one player who hit home runs for Maidu was catcher Chase Bentley. He hit two solo homers and had a single in his other at-bat.

Central Maui scored four runs in the third inning. Three of those runs scored on Pascual’s double. Pascual later scored on an error. Central Maui added one run in the fourth and three in the fifth.

Hong secured the victory in the bottom of the fifth when his quick throw to third caught Beau Ogles off base for the final out of the game.

“The play might have been a bit risky, but I saw the guy was still going and threw to third,” said Hong, whose favorite player is Robinson Cano. “We have meshed as a team because we have more time together.”

Akima said getting the early lead helped him to play more relaxed. Lung said the coaches stress playing as if the score was 0-0.

The team practices at 7 a.m. today, and Lung said the team will stay indoors as much as possible.

“This is business, not pleasure,” Lung said.

Sniffen leads Honolulu in softball world series

Jenna Sniffen batted 4-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and five RBIs and also pitched a complete game as Honolulu beat South Williamsport (Pa.) 7-5 at the Little League Majors (ages 11-12) Softball World Series on Thursday in Portland, Ore.

Honolulu’s Lexi Muramoto tied it 1-1 with an RBI single in the second inning.

In the third, Sniffen hit a two-run double and Lexi Hinahara had an RBI single for a 4-1 Honolulu lead.

Sniffen belted a three-run homer in the fourth to make it 7-1.

Nikki Chong scored twice and Marley Spencer went 2-for-2 for Honolulu.

On the mound, Sniffen allowed four earned runs. South Williamsport scored twice in the sixth and had the tying run at the plate, but Sniffen got a groundout to end it.

Honolulu (2-0) will complete pool play with games against the Philippines today at 1 p.m. and Mexico on Sunday at 7 a.m.

KRU O6 in Cal Ripken U.S. championship game

Zyon Faleiva pitched 52⁄3 solid innings and Shaveh Sarono hit a tie-breaking two-run single in the fifth as KRU 06 Baseball (Hawaii) beat Newburgh (Ind.) 3-1 on Thursday in the U.S. semifinal of the Cal Ripken Major (ages 11-12)/70 World Series in Branson, Mo.

Faleiva, who recorded four strikeouts, was relieved by Jayden Montero, who struck out the final batter.

KRU 06 Baseball (5-1) will play for the U.S. title today against Flood City (Pa.).