Laguna squads having trouble competing
The season has come to an end for three of four Laguna Beach Little League All-Star teams.
All three squads began play Saturday in the Little League District 55 All-Star Tournament and each was eliminated this week from the double-elimination event.
A fourth Laguna Beach All-Star team, the Junior All-Stars, play an elimination game at 7 p.m. today against Northwood at Chapparosa Park in Laguna Niguel. The winner moves on to play in another elimination game Wednesday.
Laguna dropped its Junior division opener to Rancho Niguel, 19-0, on Sunday.
The Laguna Beach Little League All-Star team dropped its opener, 11-1, to Aliso Viejo on Saturday and was eliminated Monday by Northwood, 6-3, at Chapparosa Park in Laguna Niguel.
The Laguna Beach 10/11 All-Stars suffered a pair of one-run losses in the tournament. First, they were edged, 5-4, by Newport American on Saturday at Hick’s Canyon Park. On Tuesday, they were eliminated following a 3-2 loss to Laguna Hills.
District 55 includes teams from Laguna Beach, Central Irvine, Southern Irvine, Northwood, Aliso Viejo, Laguna Niguel, Ranch Niguel, Newport Beach American, Newport Beach National, Lake Forrest, Laguna Hills and Saddleback.
The tournament concludes July 12.
9/10 All-Stars
Laguna Beach 13, Central Irvine 0: Laguna Beach played its first tournament game Saturday and rolled past Central Irvine in a four-inning, mercy-rule victory at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo.
Laguna scored right away, getting a double off the center-field fence from Jack Wills, an RBI single by Judge Washer and an RBI triple by Sawyer Chesley in the bottom of the first to go up, 2-0. In Laguna’s next at-bat, Dylan Smith and Zach Washer singled, Carson Cushing sacrificed the runners to second and third. With two out, Jack Loechner singled, Wills doubled, Judge Washer singled and took second base on a throw to home, then stole third and home. By the end of the inning, Laguna was in front, 7-0.
Laguna scored six more runs in the third. Connor Brashier walked and Smith, Cushing, James Langton, Loechner, Wills and Judge Washer all singled, and Will Ross drew a walk.
Wills started on the mound for Laguna and shut down Central Irvine. He left the game with one out in the top of the fourth to give way to Loechner. Wills allowed just one hit and struck out four in a strong performance. He was backed by a defense that included a nice running catch in left-field by Brashier in the second inning and Langton (center-field) and Chesley (third base) making key plays in the third inning that prevented Central Irvine from scoring.
Newport Beach National 11, Laguna Beach 0: Laguna was a back on the field at Woodfield Park the next day, Sunday, and was overwhelmed by Newport Beach National in another mercy rule game.
Laguna committed three consecutive errors, all coming with two out, in the first inning that led to Newport Beach National’s first three runs. In the second inning, again with two out, Newport Beach National pieced together a couple of singles and another Laguna error, for two more runs to make it 5-0.
Newport Beach National put the game away with a six-run third to move in front, 11-0.
The game was called after four innings.
For Laguna, Zach Washer just missed a home run but recorded a double with a long drive off the center-field fence. It was the only hit of the game for Laguna. Pinch runner Remy Mackel advanced to third base on a ground out but was stranded there.
Newport Beach American 5, Laguna Beach 4: Following a couple of day’s rest, Laguna came back Tuesday to take on Newport Beach American and suffered a one-run defeat in a game that went eight innings and knocked the locals out of the tournament.
— Eric Wells, Community Correspondent
Laguna Beach Little League All-Star Rosters
Little League All-Stars
Manager: Andy Hauer
Players: Tyler Alter, Drake Butler, Cole Calabrese, Nolan Del Toro, Ian Detweiler, Connor Hauer, Kenji Lee, Will McInerny, Anthony Norelli, Dane Olson, Danny Pietig, Michael Shurtleff, Tommy Ressler, Duke Holt and Cole Coscino.
10/11 All-Stars
Manager: Steve Dixon
Players: William Bonn, Tyler Cheves, Ashton Goddard, Matthew Hodes, Billy Howie, Tyler Jackson, Bruce Knill, Jordan Leppo, Brandon Marquez, Cole Paxson, Henry Schineller, Bayley Thomas, Nathan Hunt, Dexter Russo and Liam Bryant.
9/10 All-Stars
Manager: Eric Wills
Players: Conner Brashier, Sawyer Chesley. Carson Cushing, James Langton, John Langton, Jack Loechner, Remy Mackel, Will Ross, Dylan Smith, Judge Washer, Zack Washer, Jack Wills, Dean Nunis, Connor Coscino and Lance Stewart.
Junior All-Stars
Manager: Steve Sweet
Players: Riley Babick, Grant Barton, Dakota Holm, Zack Kluver, Mason Pitz, Wyatt Rydstrom, Nathan Sweet, Barrett Thornton, Samuel Wogulis, Nick Le Bars, Cole Hutson, Jeffery Rosenthal and James Packes.