Mesa falls behind early

COSTA MESA — For Costa Mesa High and Calvary Chapel, the championship game of the Newport Elks Tournament’s Costa Mesa Bracket had an added bonus.

Both teams were anxious to win the tournament title. But, with the Mustangs and Eagles both now in the Orange Coast League, they also were able to get a valuable early season look at a league opponent.

Saturday’s 10-4 win for Calvary Chapel wasn’t close for the first two innings, when the Eagles scored nine of their runs.

But it was close after that. That left Coach Jim Kiefer’s Mustangs (4-1), who already have nearly half of last season’s nine-win total, walking away very optimistic.

“We played well offensively today,” Kiefer said. “We continued doing some good things. You never like to lose like that, but I thought we battled and competed. I think we come out of it with some positive feedback going into our league series.”

The Eagles (5-0) scored twice in the first inning, then broke it open in the second behind a three-run home run by Sean Williams and a two-run homer from Vinnie Valdez.

The Mustangs also had their share of defensive miscues, committing five errors in the first three innings.

“We hadn’t faced a team that hit the ball hard that consistently,” Kiefer said. “I think that surprised us, especially in the first couple of innings. That’s just something we have to prepare for better.”

But Mesa battled back. Cody Waldron doubled leading off the third and, one out later, he scored on Garrick Williams’ double.

“No matter what, you’ve got to play the game,” Garrick Williams said. “You’ve got to play baseball. We battled. We competed the whole way.”

Matt Pisarski and Luke Boulger both walked to lead off the sixth, and both later scored.

Costa Mesa added another run in the seventh, when Gabe Sanchez’s bases-loaded walk forced in a run.

But the Mustangs would leave them loaded, the game ending on a lineout.

Shortstop Mike Molina was one for two and reached base three times for Costa Mesa, as did third baseman/pitcher Andrew Millian, who held Calvary Chapel to one run over the final three innings.

Newport Elks TournamentCosta Mesa BracketCalvary Chapel 10,

Championship game

Costa Mesa 4

Score by Innings

Calvary 2 7 0 0 0 1 0 - 10 10 4

Mesa 0 0 1 0 0 2 1 - 4 5 5

Loftus, Niles (5), Balaam (6) and Wilson, Dayton (6); Peterson, Wedgeworth (2), Millian (5) and Pisarski. W -- Loftus. L -- Peterson, 1-1. 2B -- Smith (CC) 2, Lawson (CC), Waldron (CM), G. Williams (CM). HR -- S. Williams (CC), Valdez (CC).