Rough start for Breakers

It’s been a tough past week for the Laguna Beach High baseball team at the Newport Elks Tournament.

In their first three games at the tournament which began March 3, the Breakers have dropped close games to Troy, Beckman and most recently Wednesday to Trabuco Hills.

Laguna rallied for two runs in the sixth inning Wednesday but couldn’t complete its comeback attempt and lost, 3-2, to the visiting Mustangs.

Senior Will McInerny had a two-run double and junior Dante Faicchio went two for two and walked for the Breakers. Junior Dustin Angus and sophomore Jeff Bruyntjens both singled.

The setback put the Breakers at 0-5 overall.

“Blake Burzell (six innings, four hits, three runs, four strikeouts) pitched solid ... we just needed some timely hits,” Laguna Coach Mike Bair said. “We didn’t execute a double play come-backer to the pitcher, had a miscue baserunning, an error at shortstop ... all those little details matter, especially when we are not hitting at our best.”

In its second tourney game Saturday, Laguna took a 3-0 lead on Beckman but the Patriots, ranked seventh in CIF Southern Section Division 3, rallied for two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a 5-4 walk-off win. McInerny (RBI), Bruyntjens (double, RBI), senior Zac Kovacic (double) and junior Dylan Smith each had two hits. Faicchio tripled with an RBI and Angus had a hit and RBI.

Sophomore Jack Loechner threw five innings and senior John Ogden (one inning) and Angus threw in relief.

Bair called it a “great battle.”

“Loechner pitched great, and Ogden had a strong relief appearance,” Bair said. “We had a few mistakes that cost us the game.

“We are not playing our best baseball but somehow, keeping games pretty close. Unfortunately, to be a good team, you have to find ways to still win those close games and we just have not been able to do that. I know this team believes in each other. No one here is pointing fingers at each other or blaming anyone for our 0-5 start. We will keep fighting and keep getting better.”

The Breakers opened tourney play March 3 at Troy and held a 1-0 lead through 4 1/2 innings before the Warriors scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and once in the sixth, and went on to score a 3-1 victory. Kovacic went two for three and drove in the lone Laguna run in the top of the fourth. Bruyntjens doubled and walked, and McInerny doubled.

The Breakers took on San Juan Hills Thursday in tourney play. The score wasn’t available at press time.

Next week, the defending Orange Coast League champion starts its league slate at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday with a home game against Estancia.

“I think our slow start to the season has made us tougher,” Bair said. “Our kids are responding well in practice and in games, even though we are 0-5. I think our best baseball is ahead of us and we are looking forward to league and feel prepared.

The Breakers bring an Orange County-record 48-game league winning streak into the opener.

“I think this season will be much more competitive in the OCL,” Bair said. “I think we will see a much tighter race and it will come down to staying healthy, throwing strikes, playing catch, running the bases smart, and quality at-bats each and every inning.”

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Softball

The Breakers launched their season Saturday at the Costa Mesa Tournament, and split two games at TeWinkle Park.

In their opener, the Breakers lost, 15-0, to Los Amigos. They came back in Game 2 to record an 18-11 win over Santa Ana.

“We are young team with little softball experience, but with a lot of athleticism and heart,” Coach Nikki LeMottee-Dale said.

The Breakers continue tourney play at 1 p.m. Saturday against University.