Pacifica wins big to open District 52 Little League All-Stars 12s tournament

“They’re not going to say, but everyone was anxious,” Pacifica manager Louie Potencion said. “I was anxious to begin with as well. But I think as soon as they saw the folks getting some hits, it was contagious. When someone starts it up, that’s how it goes.”

Pacifica opened the floodgates with a six-run third inning, capped by a three-run home run by Tucker, to claim a 14-3 victory over Foster City. Tucker’s was the first of two three-run blasts for P-Town, as Jack Delgadillo finished the game with a walk-off three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to end it via mercy rule.

Tucker finished the day 2 for 3 with a double, a home run and four RBIs, and added 2 2/3 innings of shutout ball as Pacifica’s opening day starter. The right-hander allowed just one baserunner on an infield hit and struck out five before departing with under 35 pitches, preserving the ace for Monday’s second-round game against San Mateo National.

“He played extremely well,” Potencion said. “Miles is our ace. So, he did what he had to do. And I think showing some of the bat too, and the power.”

While it took the Pacifica offense two innings to wake up, the defense was on its toes from the outset.

Center fielder Aiden White preserved the scoreless tie with a splendid catch in the second inning. With Foster City’s Lucas Nguyen reaching on a leadoff single, then advancing to second on an error, Tucker bounced back with a strikeout. But Greyson Iwamoto followed with a sinking liner into center field that looked like trouble until White used a quick first step and dynamic closing speed to lay out for a headlong diving catch.

“Right off the bat I knew it was going to be a tough play,” White said. “And then I didn’t think I was going to have to dive at first, but then it went straight down and I had to lay out for it.”

Foster City starting pitcher Oliver Combs allowed no runs on one hit through the first two innings, but P-Town found its groove in the third.

Pacifica sent 10 batters to the plate in the inning, with White cranking a one-hopper off the left-center field wall to spark the rally. Jackson Painter got the team on the board with an RBI single. Painter later scored on a throwing error, and Mason Agbulos singled home a run. Tucker then stepped to the plate with two on and two out and connected for a towering home run to straightaway center.

Foster City made it interesting in the top of the fifth. Dheera Manikandan led off with a walk, Nguyen got hit by a pitch, and Davi Gustavo singled to load the bases. With one out, Bruno Swatko singled to the right side of the infield to drive home a run, with an errant thorw allowing a second run to score on the play. Foster City then loaded the bases when Robert Martin got hit by a pitch. But after Gustavo scored on a passed ball to cut the score to 6-3, Pacifica reliever Aiden Fitzpatrick ended the threat with an inning-ending strikeout.

Pacifica sent 10 more batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth, walking it off on Delgadillo’s first All-Star home run in four years of District 52 duty.

Pacifica went on to total 16 hits. Lincoln Balagot racked up two hits, including a double, with two RBIs, and Agbulos, Painter and Evan Lim totaling two hits and one RBI apiece.

Potencion is in his fourth summer coaching this particular All-Star group in District 52 play, with four players — Delgadillo, Tucker, Chase Tevis and Huner Potencion — playing for all four teams.

Pacifica is seeing a reemergence across the board in District 52 play. In last week’s District 52 Superbowl tournaments, Pacifica reached the finals in two brackets, finishing runner-up in Majors 12U, and winning the inaugural 9U championship banner.

“There’s just a lot of talented players out there,” Louie Potencion said. “Anybody who was on the Superbowl or whatnot, they could have been on this team as well. So, it’s a strong team, it’s a deep team, and I’m just very fortunate and happy we have a good group of kids all the way through.”

Foster City falls to the elimination bracket, and will take the field again Thursday at 4 p.m.

The District 52 12s tournament — the first stage on the road to South Williamsport and the Little League World Series — consists of 12 teams. Last season, Alpine captured the District 52 12s championship.