The mean, green fighting machine from the Southside brought the trophy back home on Sunday, with the Kihei Centipedes sweeping the West Maui Brewers, 10-6 and 13-11.
Game 1 of the MABL Championship Series was a tense, back-and-forth battle. The Pedes set the tone early, with the Brewers tying the game at two apiece in the 3rd inning. But in the 4th, the Centipedes erupted for four runs and never looked back. Ian Josh delivered a dominant performance — 10 strikeouts, just 1 walk, and 7 2/3 innings of work — improving to 4–0 in a remarkable postseason run that also included 1 save, befitting a three-time Cy Young Award winner. Chad Blackwell then shut the door to seal the victory.
Game 2 opened with fireworks from the Brewers, who stormed out to a commanding 9–2 lead after two innings. The teams traded blows, and by the eighth inning the Brewers were up 11–5 and appeared to be cruising toward a decisive Game 3.
Then came one of the most stunning moments in MABL Championship history.
After scoring two runs on defensive miscues, Riley “Postseason” Beeson stepped to the plate with two runners on. On a 1–1 slider from Josue Rios, Beeson launched a game-tying three-run homer over the left-field fence — sending shockwaves through the park!
Behind a gutsy 121-pitch performance from Chuck Gibson, the Kihei Centipedes had mounted an unforgettable rally. A flurry of timely hits and a pair of costly errors completed the comeback, sealing the win and topping off quite the run for the Centipedes.
Last season, they became the first team in MABL history to make six straight championship series appearances, and this season extended that record to a seventh. The ‘Pedes are the first 3-peat since the 2021–2022 Makena Royals, the third all-time, and won their 5th championship (sixth overall) of the past six seasons. This 3pede included defeats of three different opponents!
Congratulations to both teams, the entire MABL community, and our loyal, energetic fans for another unforgettable season!