PRIDE OF THE COAST TOURNAMENT : Santa Margarita Sharp on Mound, Gains Final

Pitching was the difference in Santa Margarita’s 9-1 victory over Newport Harbor in Tuesday’s championship semifinal game of the Pride of the Coast Baseball Tournament.

Santa Margarita will play Corona del Mar for the championship this afternoon. The Sea Kings, who will be host to Santa Margarita at 2 p.m., beat Century, 10-4, in their semifinal game Tuesday.

For the Eagles (10-6), senior right-hander Ryan Reightley (5-1) pitched five innings, allowing no runs on four hits. He struck out seven and walked one. Barry Hawkins came on in the sixth inning to finish up, giving up a run on two hits.

Newport Harbor’s pitchers struggled, giving up six earned runs, nine hits and 11 walks. Sailor sophomore starter Jason Szolomayer (0-1) and reliever Dave Snowden were inconsistent. But the walks, combined with the hitting of Santa Margarita’s Paul Nicotra and Mike Penney, were too much to overcome. Three Eagle runs came in on bases-loaded walks.

The only runs Santa Margarita batters drove in by putting the ball in play came on a Penney sacrifice fly in the fourth inning and Chris Tessman’s two-run double in the sixth.

Newport Harbor (6-9) avoided the shutout in the seventh inning on Scott Sandstrom’s one-out home run, his first of the season.