Boras Classic: Corona edges Hamilton, 6-5, for title

March 16, 2019 by Les Willsey, AZPreps365


Corona del Sol shows off the Boras Classic trophy after holding off Hamilton in the tourney title game, 6-5, at Arcadia HS. (AzPreps365 photo).

Corona del Sol's Brian Kalmer is the Aztecs' cleanup hitter, but he spent a couple at bats on Saturday night leading off rallies.

None was bigger than his double in the sixth inning that started a three-run, tie-breaking rally giving Corona a 6-5 victory over Hamilton in the championship game of the 3rd annual Boras Classic at Arcadia High School.

Corona del Sol won despite committing five errors and getting outhit, 11-4. The Aztecs, however, made Hamilton pay for base-running gaffes in the first-, second- and sixth innings by throwing runners out at third base. Hamilton failed to score in each of those innings.

Back to Kalmer, who made one of the miscues but more than made up for them with his work at the plate.

Kalmer homered to right field - his third of the tournament - to give Corona a 1-0 lead in the second. His sacrifice fly capped a two-run rally and snapped a 2-2 tie in the third.

With the game knotted at 3 in the bottom of sixth, Kalmer led off the Corona half with sharp double to left center. Kalmer scored when the next batter Matteo Baker bunted down the thirdbase line and reached on a throwing error. Baker made it to third on the error and scored eventually scored on a passed ball to make it 5-3. Kalmer was named game MVP.

Kaiden Frees, who had walked and moved to second on the passed ball, scored what proved to be the decisive run on a double-play grounder.

Hamilton didn't go quietly in the seventh. Corona reliever David Utagawa, who surrendered an unearned run in 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn the win, was reached before he left in the seventh.

Utagawa gave up a single to JD McLaughlin and double to Tyler Wilson. Corona called on closer Aaron Garcia to finish. Garcia gave up an RBI ground out and an RBI double to Brandon HIll that cut the lead to 6-5. 

With Hill on second and one out, Garcia was able to get the final two outs -- a deep fly to left that got too much wind and finally a strikeout looking.

The teams who long have held their preseason scrimmage with one another won't wait long to play again. They match up on Tuesday at Corona del Sol in a power-ranking game.