Breakers hold off Eagles

The Laguna Beach High baseball team staked its way to an early lead against Calvary Chapel Friday, then held off a late rally by the visiting Eagles to post an 8-6 victory Friday in Pacific Coast League action.

The win earned the Breakers a split with the Eagles during the past week, who scored a 2-1 victory two days earlier.

The two games marked the start of league play for both schools.

Laguna never trailed in the game, using a three-run output in the bottom of the first inning.

Ryan Landry drew a lead-off walk and went on to score on a one-out double by Dominick Robusto. Noah Brewster followed with a two-run home run over the fence in left field.

Calvary Chapel scored its first run in the third inning, using a hit batter and three singles, to narrow the gap to 3-1.

Laguna seemingly gained command of the game by scoring four more runs in the bottom of the third to increase its league to 7-1. Brewster, Garrett Rauch, Kevin Kelly and Dalton Sype pieced together consecutive single, with Sype getting an RBI. Sam Palfreyman scored another run with a fielder’s choice and Calvin Mead hit a bases-loaded double off the fence in centerfield to bring home two more runs.

But Calvary Chapel didn’t fold. The Eagles added five runs in the top of the fourth, getting those runs on three-run and two-run home runs.

Calvin Mead, who played in centerfield throughout the game, relieved Laguna starter Nathan Pickett. He proceeded to strike out the next two Eagles batters to end the rally and preserve a 7-6 lead.

Laguna Beach gained some breathing room in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Landry had a lead-off double and one out later, Robusto hit a fly ball to the warning track in right field, which resulted in the second out of the inning. On the play, Landry was obstructed as he attempted to tag-up from second base, and the throw to third base got past the Calvary Chapel third baseman. Landry was awarded third base on an obstruction call, and home on the ball out of play throw.

Mead faced another test in the top of the seventh, but managed to get out of a jam that saw Eagles runners at the corners by inducing a two-out, fly ball to left field for the final out of the game.

“Calvin came up big with the double that drove in two runs and then came up even bigger in relief,” Laguna Coach Dave Dopf said.

Mead finished the game with 3 2/3 shutout innings and allowed a hit, walk and two hit batters.

Landry, Mead, Brewster, Rauch and Kelly each had two hits on the day for Laguna and Robusto, Sype and Dillon Pierce each had one in Laguna’s 13-hit total.

In a previous meeting between the teams, a pitcher’s duel between Laguna Beach’s Kevin Kelly and Dean Persinger of Calvary Chapel wasn’t decided until the seventh inning, where the host Eagles scored the go-ahead run and held on for a 2-1 victory at Vanguard University.

Kelly allowed only two hits through the first six innings, but the Eagles tagged the right-hander for three hits and a run in the top of the seventh inning.

“It was a tough loss,” Laguna Coach Dave Dopf said. “Kevin threw a great game, our defense made the plays behind him, but we just couldn’t get anything going offensively.”

Calvary Chapel struck first, using a lead-off single, hit batter and pair of fly balls to score the game’s first run in the opening inning.

Laguna answered back in the top of the second when Noah Brewster drew a leadoff walk, Kevin Kelly hit a two-out single, Dalton Sype singled and Sam Palfreyman came up with an RBI single.

The Breakers, however, managed just on more hit off Persinger in the final five innings.

Laguna resumes league play today at 3 p.m. at Beckman. The teams were rained out Tuesday.