Harper hurls near-no-hitter

Corona del Mar High senior Aaron Harper flirted with a no-hitter

before polishing off a complete-game, one-hit shutout in a 10-0 win

over visiting Estancia Monday in Pride of the Coast baseball

tournament pool play.

Harper, making his first start of the season, had thrown only one

inning this spring before stymieing the Eagles. He needed just 65

pitches (47 strikes) to give the Sea Kings their fifth shutout of the

season.

Harper, whose recovery from major surgery to correct a curved

spine in 2001 has inspired all who know him, struck out two, walked

one and surrendered the lone hit in the sixth.

It was a line-drive single by Estancia freshman Ryan Redding that

averted the glove of a leaping second baseman by about six inches,

CdM Coach John Emme said.

The hit loaded the bases with no outs, but Harper worked out of

the jam, much to the delight of his teammates.

“Everyone was pumped [for Harper],” Emme said.

Sophomore third baseman Austin Elliott belted a three-run home run

to key the offense for the Sea Kings (9-4). It was Elliott’s first

varsity homer.

CdM senior Jon Cabin produced his first varsity hit to contribute

to the nine-hit attack.

CdM wraps up pool play today at noon against visiting Rubidoux,

followed by Estancia’s clash with Peninsula at 3 p.m.

Pride of the Coast tournament

Pool play

Corona del Mar 10, Estancia 0

Score by Innings

*--*

Est 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 0 1 5

CdM 4 5 0 1 0 0 x - 10 9 5

*--*

McClanahan and Morley; Harper and Presson. W -- Harper, 1-0. L --

McClanahan. 2B -- Frankeil (CdM), T. Lance (CdM), T. Ray (CdM). HR --

Elliott (CdM).