Baseball: NHBA Mustang All-Stars win Region
For the first time in the 20-plus-year history of the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn., a 10-and-under All-Star team won a PONY Region tournament on Sunday in Irvine.
The NHBA 10U All-Stars defeated Fullerton, 10-0, Sunday at the Region tournament and will advance to the West Zone Southern California Super Region tournament in San Marcos as the No. 1 representative from the Central Region. NHBA will open against Whittier on Friday at Mission Sports Complex at 7:15 p.m.
With a win Friday, NHBA would play Saturday at 6:15 p.m. If the locals lose their first game, they would play Saturday at 3:15 p.m.
The Super Region tournament continues through July 26.
In the victory over Fullerton on Sunday, NHBA Riggs Guy threw a complete game shutout (six innings), the first of his career.
Guy was backed by strong hitting from Parker Purcell and Cruz Collier who both had three hits, while Jake Shubin chipped in two hits to bolster the NHBA attack.
The NHBA squad has had an amazing run, winning 19 of its last 20 games and is now 20-4 in All-Stars action.
In its 24 games, NHBA has scored 256 runs while only allowing 62.
Bryson Shea has been a workhorse on the mound and had a consistent, powerful bat. Johnny Elliott has provided strong catching and has hit three home runs.
The team won consecutive tournaments in June in Newport Beach, East Long Beach and Placentia. It then began PONY-sanctioned District level play on June 30 in Cypress and won three straight games over Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Newport Beach to advance to the tournament in Irvine.
During the games in Cypress, Chandler Swanson had a strong defensive performance with back- to-back catches in left field to end the game against Santa Ana.
Cooper Sitzman hit doubles in the three consecutive games.
The tournament in Irvine began on July 15 with a 10-0 victory over Olive (Orange). Shea pitched three strong innings and supported the cause with three hits.
Leadoff hitter Walker Vaicek contributed three walks and scored three runs. At one point, Vaicek had nine walks in a span of 10 plate appearances.
Brock Liolios hit a key triple to right field and provided excellent defense in center field.
Purcell pitched the final inning in the win, halted prematurely due to the 10-run rule.
On Saturday, NHBA faced a rematch against a talented squad from Placentia that it had battled in previous seasons. Shea pitched four strong innings of two-run ball and was supported by a two-hit effort from Nick Montgomery, who also made several solid catches in right field.
NHBA opened up a 9-3 lead heading into the sixth and final inning and held on for a 9-8 victory with the final out coming on a running catch by Shubin in left field.
The NHBA squad includes Maddy Bibona, a talented first baseman and right fielder. Maddy is the first girl to play on an NHBA All-Star team at the 10U level.
The team is led by Manager Ryan Shea, along with a veteran presence offered by Chris Purcell and Justin Vaicek.
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