Angels take flight

Chris Yemma

Costa Mesa American Little Leaguer P.J. Maloney avoids labeling

himself a leader, with his rationale being baseball is a team sport.

Sometimes, though, it’s tough to avoid the truth.

The Angels’ pitcher tossed a complete-game four-hitter and drove

in two runs to lead the Majors division team to a 5-1 District 62

Tournament of Champions first-round victory over the Robinwood Astros

Tuesday at Huntington Valley park.

“I knew I could pitch the whole game if I started off good and

didn’t give up a lot of hits,” said Maloney, 12.

The Angels will face Fountain Valley’s second seed in the

quarterfinals at 9 a.m. Saturday at the same location.

Not allowing a single hit until the bottom of the third inning,

Maloney accomplished his goal of having a solid start.

And with the win, the Angels lifted their record to 20-1, with the

lone loss coming to the Costa Mesa National Dodgers in May.

“Our team is deep enough where it’s not on one person’s

shoulders,” Coach Jeff Hirsch said. “We’ve put up so many runs all

season long that we have confidence.”

The American League champion Angels used their offensive power

early to score one run in the first inning and four runs in the

second before Astros’ relief pitcher Michael Clayton entered in the

third.

Jeff Comer began the fourth-inning scoring spree with an RBI

single to plate J.T. McLuckey from second. Maloney followed with a

two-run double to left, driving in Brian Williams and Comer. Brian

Waldron capped the spurt by singling in Maloney.

It was an inning that showcased the depth of the Angels’ squad.

“We’ve got a good team, strong from top to bottom,” Hirsch said.

“It was a total team effort.”

Derek Amendola helped key the defense for the Angels, making a

solid play from center field to keep the Astros in check. With two

out and two on, Amendola snatched a grounder to center and fired a

bullet to catcher Garrett Hirsch, who made the tag to end the inning.

Offensively, Maloney finished 2 for 4 at the plate with two RBIs

and two runs scored, while Waldron was 3 for 3 with an RBI and Comer

was 2 for 2 with an RBI and a run. Tyler Shoffmer added a hit in the

fifth inning.

Astros’ reliever Clayton entered in the third and cooled Costa

Mesa’s bats. He threw four innings of shutout ball and allowed just

three hits.

But the damage had already been done, and the Angels rode the

steady arm of Maloney to the conclusion.

“Pitching-wise and as a leadoff batter, he’s incredible,” Hirsch

said about Maloney. “He is a leader and a team captain -- one of four

captains.”