YOUTH SCENE

BASEBALL

Newport Beach Little League

AAA Division

National League championship

Cardinals 4, Astros 3: J.B. Lee’s RBI with two outs in the bottom of the sixth proved to be the game-winner for the Cardinals, who advance to the AAA Championship game Saturday.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ryan Maister scored the game-winning run. Hastings led off with a walk and a fielder’s choice placed Maister at second base.

The Cardinals (18-1) were down 3-0 in the bottom of the third, when Josh Anderson led off with a walk. Ryan Kleinman singled with a fly ball to short left field. Jackson Rhodes walked to load the bases; and with two outs, Hastings hit a line drive to center field to put his team on the board.

In the bottom of the fourth, Lee and Max Carr singled in runs to tie the game. Cardinals pitchers Patrick Standel and Lee shut out the Astros in the last three innings to hold the score at 3-3.

Other highlights for the Cardinals were pitcher Maister’s five strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings, and hits by Maister and Rhodes. The Astros took the early lead with hits by Liam Karas and Jack Ewles. Trevor Schwartz held the Cardinals to one run over three innings.

WATER POLO

Youth teams from the Newport Water Polo Foundation enjoyed some success in the Regional Junior Olympic Tournament on May 19.

The NWPF 10-and-under team took first place. The 12-and-under girls took third place and qualified for the National Junior Olympics, to be held in San Jose Aug. 2-5.

The 14-and-under girls came in fourth and also qualified.

The 14-and-under boys, who were sixth, are expected to get an at-large bid for the boys National Junior Olympics to also be held in San Jose from July 28-3.

The 10-and-under team was a new division to the “Regional” tournament and will not be included in the National Junior Olympics.