By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Daylen Calicdan pitched a five-hitter and drove in three runs as the Hilo All-Stars crushed Mililani 12-1 in a TKO victory Sunday in the winners’ bracket of the state PONY baseball tournament.
The eight-team event for players ages 13-14 is being played at Iron Maehara Stadium in Kahului, Maui. It runs through Tuesday with the champion advancing to the West Zone tournament later this month in Whittier, Calif.
Hilo (2-0) plays Maui Blue (2-0) at 4 p.m. today in a winners’ bracket game, with the winner moving on to the title contest on Tuesday.
Calicdan went the five-inning distance to pocket the win. He struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Alexander Wong was tagged with the loss.
At the plate, Calicdan went 3 for 4 with his game-high three RBIs. Mackanzy Maesaka (1 RBI) and Keegan Miura (triple) each added two hits in the Big Islanders’ 12-hit attack.
Wong had two hits for Mililani, including a triple. The Oahu team slipped to 1-1 in the tournament.
Hilo scored eight runs in the fourth inning to break open the game, then added four more runs in the fifth.
Mililani scored its lone run in the first inning.
“Daylen threw well all game,” Hilo coach Eric Kurosawa said. “He was a little nervous at first, and gave up three hits in the first inning. But after that he shut down Mililani the rest of the way. He did a good job.”
The Big Islanders started slow with the bat against Wong.
“We hit the ball hard early in the game, but it was right at someone,” Kurosawa said. “But later on the ball started finding the open spots and we started to score some runs. We played much better today than we did on Saturday.”
Kurosawa said the Hilo club has a lot of support on Maui.
“A lot of parents and friends have come down to support the team,” he said. “The kids are enjoying the tournament and the overall experience that goes along with this type of thing.”
Kurosawa said Maui Blue will provide a strong challenge.
“Maui Blue is a good club and we’ll have to play well,” he said.
In other action Sunday involving a Big Island team, Kona (1-1) eliminated Makakilo-Kapolei 6-2 behind winning pitcher Pulama Louis.
Louis hurled a two-hitter while Ejay Kuakini took the loss.
Logan Canda (2 RBIs) led Kona with three hits and Tanner Kitaoka (1 RBI) added two hits in the Big Islanders’ seven-hit attack. No one paired hits for Makakilo-Kapolei.
Kona plated three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the lead and scored three more in the seventh to put the game away.
Kona played Windward (1-1) in an elimination contest at 7 p.m. Sunday. The game ended after the Tribune-Herald’s deadline.
On Saturday, Hilo defeated Makakilo-Kapolei 6-4 while Mililani downed Kona 8-3.
Prep tournament
in Las Vegas
The Nobu Yamauchi All-Stars beat Rancho 15-8 in their final game in the Stephen Janvrin Memorial Baseball Tournament on Sunday.
The eight-team event for players ages 15 and wrapped up Sunday at the Durango High School Field in Las Vegas.
The Nobu Yamauchi All-Stars, from Hilo, finished with a 5-1 record.
Caleb Freitas-Fields had three hits and three RBIs to lead the Big Islanders in the four-inning TKO win over Rancho High of Nevada on Sunday. Ryley Widell (1 RBI) and Keli’i Montibon each had two hits while Ryder Oshiro and Kilohana Brown each had a hit and two RBIs.
Brown started and got the win.
The Hilo team opened the tournament Thursday with a 15-1 win over Bishop Gorman Orange, then beat San Clemente, Calif., 6-3 in the first game Friday. Green Valley Blue stopped the Big Islanders’ win streak later in the day, defeating Hilo 11-3. The Big Islanders then routed Green Valley White 15-8 on Saturday, in their first game, and host Durango 9-3 in the late game.
Montibon went 4 for 4 with two RBIs and Keian Kanetani 4 for 5 to lead Hilo in the win over Durango. Widell and Brown each added two hits in the 15-hit attack. Joining Montibon with two RBIs apiece were Bryce Felipe and Makana Aiona.
Kanetani started for Hilo and pitched four innings to earn the win. He allowed four hits and two runs. Freitas-Fields (2 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs) and Widell (2/3 inning, 0 hits, 1 run) also pitched for the Big Islanders.
Hilo now moves on to play in the RBI Baseball West Zone regional, scheduled to start Friday in Anaheim, Calif.
At Las Vegas
Hilo 1103 1 — 15 13 4
Rancho 041 3 — 8 5 2
