Baseball/Softball: Laguna gets first win in baseball
The Laguna Beach baseball team has been involved in a busy first week of its 2015 season, having played four games at the Newport Elks Tournament.
On their home diamond Wednesday, the Breakers recorded their first win.
Laguna, ranked eighth in CIF Southern Section Division 4, took a 2-1 victory from Santa Fe Springs St. Paul at Skipper Carrillo Field.
The Swordsmen, who defeated Laguna in the tournament last year, are ranked third in Division 3.
Junior Will McInerny, a returning All-Orange Coast League player (first team, catcher), had an outstanding performance on the mound and at the plate.
In his first pitching appearance, the right-hander struck out nine, scattered five hits, and didn’t allow an earned run in a complete-game win. On offense, he went two for two, which included a double, also walked, and drove in the winning run.
Senior Cole Coscino singled with an RBI, and senior Anthony Norelli and junior Zak Kovacic both singled and scored a run.
Coscino delivered an RBI single in his first at-bat of the season. It came in the bottom of the first and gave Laguna an early 1-0 lead. St. Paul scored the tying run in the top of the fourth, but McInerny brought in the go-ahead run with his RBI-double in the bottom of the sixth.
“Cole (Coscino) had a clutch hit to give us the lead, and he also caught the whole game and did a great job,” Laguna Coach Mike Bair said. “Will had a great game. He’s our best player. He’s intense, focused, poised, and he competes, whether he’s catching or pitching.”
In its tournament and season opener, Laguna fell, 7-2, to Newport Harbor. Sophomore Dante Faicchio, a second-team all-league selection last year, had two hits to lead the Breakers on offense. In their next tourney game, Norelli had three hits and drove in three runs in a 21-13 loss to Mission Viejo (No. 10, Division 2).
In their third tourney game, Kovacic, a second-team all-league choice as a sophomore, went two for four in the Breakers’ 4-2 loss Monday to Valencia Placentia.
Bair said his team was “inconsistent” in its first three games of the season.
“We all know we can put together an all-around, well-played game,” he said. “Our 0-3 start does not cause any panic in us, whatsoever. We will figure out how to hit, defend, and pitch at the same time, and start winning some games.”
Bair said getting that first win of the season Wednesday was important for his team.
“I think it was crucial,” he said. “When you lose a few games, you tend to over-analyze things, and you put pressure on yourself. When you get a win, you trust that what you are doing in practice is right, and that what you are doing in practice is helping prepare you the best way possible.”
The Newport Elks Tournament concludes Friday. Laguna’s final tourney game is at 3 p.m. at Paramount. Bair said Ashton Goddard will get the start against the Pirates. It’s the second start for the sophomore who got the nod in the tourney opener against Newport Harbor.
The Breakers, whose scheduled season-opening doubleheader Feb. 28 with El Modena was canceled due to rain, begins defense of its Orange Coast League title March 20 with an away game at Costa Mesa.
“We’ve played some really good teams in this tournament,” Bair said. “We’ve had some really good moments, and some not-so really good moments. Hopefully, we will use these games as learning opportunities as we head into league play.”
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Softball
The Breakers went to San Pedro Tuesday for a nonleague game at Mary Star of the Sea and dropped a 19-3 decision to the Stars (6-0).
Laguna is the first team this season to score against the sixth-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 5. They had outscored their previous five opponents, 26-0.
The Breakers played their first two games last Saturday at the Costa Mesa Tournament. They lost to both Westminster La Quinta, 16-2, and Santa Ana (No. 7, Division 4), 19-2.
Laguna completes play Friday and Saturday at the Costa Mesa Tournament. The Breakers face Orange Coast League rival Estancia in a 3 p.m. tourney game Friday at TeWinkle Park in Costa Mesa.
The Breakers start play next Thursday at the Crean Lutheran Tournament.
CIF Weekly Rankings
Baseball: Laguna Beach (No. 8, Division 4).
Twitter: @MikeSciacca