Maui loses Palomino regional opener

Elimination game scheduled for today; five straight wins needed for Series berth

Maui lost 6-0 to host team MLB Urban Youth Academy on Thursday as play began in the Pony League Palomino (17-18) Division West Zone Tournament in Compton, Calif.

Maui has an elimination game today against the Colton (Calif.) Nighthawks. Colton lost 9-0 to the Peninsula (Calif.) White Sox on Thursday.

Maui now needs five wins in a row to advance to the Palomino World Series, scheduled for Aug. 3-6 in Santa Clara, Calif.

Iokepa Supnet was 2-for-3 for Maui. Damien Awai took the loss after four innings on the mound. Jay Texeira pitched two scoreless innings of relief.

The Valley Isle has three other teams still playing in youth league tournaments.

Maui will face the Cave Creek (Ariz.) Coyotes on Aug. 3 in both teams’ opener of the Pony (13-14) West Regional in Mountain View, Calif.

Central East Maui Little League has two teams who have earned berths in their divisions’ World Series — the Intermediate (12-13) team will begin with a game against North Palm Beach, Fla., on Sunday in Livermore, Calif., and the Senior (15-16) team will face Easley, S.C., or West University of Houston on Sunday in Easley.