NBLL Majors: Newport loses heartbreaker

Tony Altobelli

MISSION VIEJO - In a give-and-take battle of two even teams,

Newport Beach Little League’s Major Division All-Stars simply gave too

much to the Viejo All-Stars, losing in seven innings, 12-10, in the

District 55 Baseball Tournament Thursday at Mission Viejo Youth Sports

Park.

A number of costly baserunning mistakes combined with some late Viejo

heroics equaled disaster for Newport.

In the third and fourth innings, Newport had 15 batters out of 16

reach base safely via hits, walks or hit batsmen, but only nine scored.

Four were thrown out on the bases, while two were left stranded on base.

The loss sends Newport into the loser’s bracket where it will play

Saturday at noon at the same site.

It looked like a better fate for the 11-12 year-olds. After falling

behind, 4-1, Newport seemed to turn the momentum around thanks to a fine

defensive play by second baseman Conner Ferguson.

With two Viejo runners on, Ferguson battled a fly ball against a sun

that won numerous battles with infielders and outfielders on the right

side of the field.

He managed to catch the tough fly ball and doubled up a runner trying

to get back to first, ending the inning.

Following that, Newport’s bats exploded to the tune of six

third-inning runs.

Tyler Ellis and Michael Orozco each had two-run extra-base hits in

that productive inning.

Viejo regained the lead in the top of the fourth, however, scoring

four runs to lead, 8-7.

In the bottom of the fourth, Jonathan Cabin had an RBI double, while

Michael Aspegren and Conner Ferguson each had RBI singles, giving Newport

the lead once again, 10-8.

Dialynas had three of Newport’s 16 hits and scored three runs, while

Ferguson, Tyler Lance and Orozco each chipped in with two hits.

Newport carried that 10-8 lead into the sixth inning and were one

strike away from victory, but with runners on second and third, Viejo’s

Todd Bugbee smacked a single into right field, tying the game.

In the seventh, another key two-out hit, this time from catcher

Garrett Rubio scored two more runs and gave Viejo a 12-10 lead.

Orozco lead off the seventh with a solid single to right, but a

strikeout and a double play later, the game was over.

Despite the loss, Evan Zoller pitched three solid innings, striking

out seven.

A win on Saturday would give Newport another game on Monday at 7:30

p.m.