Hawaii is one of my favorite places in the world. I went to Maui five years ago, and can’t wait to go back. Hopefully, I’ll even retire there one day — or set up MLB.com’s West West Coast office beforehand.

On Sunday, Ewa Beach — which is located on the island of Oahu, west of Honolulu — became the first team from the 50th state to win the Little League World Series. And they did it walk-off style, beating the defending champions, Willemstad, Curacao, 7-6, on Michael Memea’s dinger in the first extra-inning finale since 1971.

Ewa Beach had trailed 6-3, but tied it with three runs in the sixth before Memea’s extra-inning heroics. It’s a great victory for the entire state, and serves notice that Hawaii is to be reckoned with from here on in when it comes to the Little League World Series.