NBLL Majors: NBLL’s two homers too much

Tony Altobelli

MISSION VIEJO - Newport Beach Little League’s Major Division

All-Stars made the most of their two hits in Saturday’s 3-0 win over

Laguna Niguel in the first round of the District 55 All-Star Baseball

Tournament at the Mission Viejo Youth Sports Park.

The two hits were a two-run home run by Tyler Lance, followed immediately

by a solo home run by Michael Orozco, both in the first inning.

“Those kids have been doing that all year for their regular-season

teams,” Manager Jim Ferguson said. “The big guys did what the big guys

are supposed to do.”

That was all the run support starter Jonathan Cabin needed. He threw a

two-hit masterpiece and struck out seven through five innings.

“He had a great mixture of pitches today,” Ferguson said. “He had great

command of his curve and he didn’t dig himself into too many deep holes.

He had the other team off-balance all game.”

The biggest scoring threat against Cabin came in the top of the fifth

inning when Laguna Niguel had runners on first and second with nobody out

and the top of the order due up.

Cabin hung tough. He induced a groundball to Lance at shortstop, who got

the lead runner for the first out. Cabin then coaxed the next batter to

pop out.

Following a walk to load the bases, Cabin got Laguna Niguel’s cleanup

hitter to ground Orozco at third, who stepped on the bag for a force out,

ending the threat.

From there, Evan Zoller came on in the sixth and retired the side in

order.

Hard-luck pitcher Kyle Porter threw a complete-game, two-hitter for

Laguna Niguel, but the two hits sailed over the fence.

After Shaun Mohler walked with two outs in the first, Lance hit Parker’s

first offering deep over the center-field fence for a 2-0 lead.

Orozco followed that up with a long dinger of his own, giving Newport a

3-0 edge.

“Our offense is good and our defense is good,” Ferguson said. “It’s all

going to come down to our pitching.”

Fortunately for Ferguson and Newport, Saturday’s win gives Newport a

four-day break before resuming tournament play Thursday at 5 p.m. at the

same site.

“By not playing until Thursday, that will allow us to get Ryan Lance back

on the mound for us,” Ferguson said. “He’s our best pitcher and he’s had

a bad finger and he hasn’t been able to pitch. He’ll be ready to go for

Thursday.”