Runs lead to losses

The Laguna Beach High baseball team has out-hit and out-pitched its

first two opponents at the Babe Herman Tournament in Glendale, but

that won’t be reflected in the win column.

Laguna fell Monday to Torrance, 3-1.

In their tournament opener Saturday, the Breakers dropped a 4-1

decision to Crescenta Valley.

Against Torrance, Kevin Kelly pitched a complete game and gave up

just four hits.

Torrance scored two unearned runs in the first inning and a run in

the fourth to take a 3-0 lead.

Laguna showed some offensive life in the sixth inning when Noah

Brewster hit a leadoff double, was moved to third base on a sacrifice

fly and scored on a ground ball by Garrett Rauch.

The Breakers had runners on base in all but one inning, but was

unable to get a key hit in each situation.

Calvin Mead led the Breakers on offense with a three-for-three

performance.

Jeff Bolar finished with two hits and Brewster, Rauch and Ryan

Landry each had a hit.

It was pretty much the same scenario for the Breakers in the

Saturday contest against Division I Crescenta Valley.

Mead pitched a complete game and was backed by a defense that kept

the game in within reach.

Crescenta Valley took a 1-0 first inning lead, but Laguna

threatened to score in the second inning, but a double play and

strikeout stranded a pair of base runners.

The Falcons scored two runs in what turned out to be a decisive

fourth inning.

With two out, the Falcons used a single and home run to build

their lead to 3-1.

Laguna rallied for a run of its own on back-to-back doubles by

Noah Brewster and Kevin Kelly, which cut the deficit to 3-1.

Crescenta Valley gained some breathing room by scoring in the

sixth inning to go up, 4-1.

Rauch also singled for the Breakers.

Before playing at the Babe Herman Tournament, Laguna fell to

Northwood, 7-3, in Pacific Coast League action.

It was the final game of a three-game league series between the

teams this season.

Northwood took the season series, 2-1.

Laguna struck first when Brewster hit a long home run over the

left-center field fence in the second inning. Northwood came back,

however, to tie the score with a run in the bottom of the second.

The Timberwolves pushed three more runs across in the third and

added two more in the fourth to take a 6-1 lead.

Laguna scored a run in the sixth when Jeff Bolar hit a leadoff

single, stole second base, moved to third on a ground out and scored

on Landry’s sacrifice fly ball to right field.

Northwood responded with a run of its own in the bottom of sixth

before Laguna rallied for one more run in the seventh on a Jonathan

Begay’s RBI single.

Brewster and Mead, who also doubled, each finished with two hits

to lead Laguna.

In addition to hits by Bolar and Begay. Landry and Jon Ewing also

singled.

Heading into Wednesday’s tournament finale in Glendale, Laguna was

6-9 overall, and 2-4 in league play.

The Breakers resume league play Tuesday against host Calvary

Chapel in a 3:15 p.m. start at Vanguard University.