Tournament of Champions: Cardinals Bring ‘A’ Game

Steve Virgen

HUNTINGTON BEACH - Playing in the biggest game of their season, the

Costa Mesa National Little League’s Cardinals matched the scenario with

their effort Thursday.

As the Minor A team’s manager Bob Knapp said, the Cardinals brought

their ‘A’ game which resulted in a 10-1 victory over the Westminster

Diamondbacks, in the District 62 Tournament of Champions at Huntington

Valley Park.

The 10-1 win included 12 hits and a grand display of the fundamentals

on defense.

Cardinals Wes Barloon, Taylor West and Kevin Kiser slammed two hits

each, while Ben Lefebvre and Mike Morley earned two RBIs each. Also, Pat

McGuire and West score two runs each, and Gerardo Chavez, Kiser, Roy

Ortiz and Joseph Ozida tallied one run apiece.

After the Cardinals held the Diamondbacks scoreless in the top of the

first, the CMNLL Minor A team manufactured one run in its first at-bat.

Barloon led off with a double and recorded a stolen base as well.

Starting pitcher Ryan Knapp, better known as “Rhino,” earned an RBI after

he put the ball in play.

The Cardinals allowed just two hits, including a home run in the fifth

inning when Richard Lopez pounded one over the fence. But the Cardinals

answered with their best offensive inning of the game and tallied four

runs. They also had scored one run in the third.

“The first half of our season was a little rough,” Cardinals Manager

Bob Knapp said. “But, our kids never quit. This is a really special group

of kids. If you hear them in the dugout, you know that these kids have

fun first.”

The Cardinals’ pitching staff seemed to have fun as Ryan Knapp and

Ozida were supported by some solid defense.

Ryan Knapp turned in a three-inning, no-hitter performance which

included two strikeouts and zero walks.

Ozida pitched the remaining three innings and recorded one strikeout

and also had no walks.

Some of the defensive highlights included: West completed a

sensational double play in the sixth inning. She caught a fly ball and

made a big throw to second, ending the inning as Nick Oliver caught it

and tagged the runner out. Also, McGuire slid to his knees in right field

to make a dynamic catch of a fly ball.

“We lost just one game in the second half of our season,” Bob Knapp

said of his Cardinals, which now have won 10 out of their last 11 and

have compiled a 15-4 record to go with their CMNLL title. “We brought our

best game today and we have to bring it again on Saturday.”

The Cardinals face Ocean View’s No. 1 team Saturday, at noon at

Huntington Valley Park.