Breakers still great in OCL
A first victory of the young 2016 season not only invigorated the Laguna Beach High baseball team Tuesday, it also put the Breakers on a promising start in Orange Coast League play and kept a winning streak intact.
Laguna launched its league season Tuesday at Skipper Carrillo Field and the defending league champion parlayed strong pitching, a solid defensive effort and key offensive moments, into a 5-3 victory over visiting Estancia.
The win extended Laguna’s Orange County-record league winning streak to 49 consecutive games.
It also put the Breakers into the win column for the initial time and put them at 1-6 overall.
“We had great pitching and defense with just enough timely offense to pick up a solid win,” Laguna Coach Mike Bair said.
Laguna trailed, 1-0, through 2 1/2 innings but came up with a five-run outburst in the bottom of the third to take the lead for good. Estancia pushed across single runs in both the fourth and fifth innings but the Eagles (6-3 overall, 0-1 league) could get no closer.
Laguna’s scoring in the third came on a three-run double by senior Jack Simon, a squeeze bunt RBI by junior Dylan Smith, and a solo home run by senior Connor Basile.
A trio of Breakers shared the mound Tuesday with the victory going to sophomore Blake Burzell (4 1/3 innings) who Bair said had a “quality start and win.” Senior John Ogden (1 2/3 innings) “was sharp in relief,” Bair said, and senior Will McInerny (one inning) recorded the save. Neither Ogden or McInerny gave up a hit or run.
Prior to starting its league season, Laguna was involved with the final few days of the Newport Elks Tournament. Their final tourney game late last week against Corona del Mar was canceled due to rain and will be made-up April 27 at CdM, Bair said.
Laguna is 0-4 to date at the tournament. The Breakers also dropped a season-opening doubleheader Feb. 27 at El Modena.
“Losing six games, all in close fashion, hopefully made us tougher and more diligent about getting better,” Bair said. “If we can gain resilience now and have that help us through league and CIF playoffs, then it was well worth the 0-6 start.”
The Breakers continue OCL play Friday with a 3:15 p.m. game at Godinez. Bair said sophomore Jack Loechner (0-2) will get the starting pitching assignment against the Grizzlies.
They Breakers will travel next Tuesday for a 3:15 p.m. league game at Costa Mesa. Next Thursday, they are on the road for a 3:15 p.m. nonleague game at Sage Hill, the top-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division 6.
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Softball
The Breakers continued play Saturday at the Costa Mesa Tournament and were defeated by University, 22-1. They are 1-2 in the tournament with a game left to play.
The Breakers also began play Wednesday at the Connelly Tournament. The score from their tourney opener against Orange Coast League rival Saddleback wasn’t available at press time. The tournament continues through Saturday.
Next week, the Breakers play their home opener at 4 p.m. Thursday against Century.
