Harper Gets Sea Kings Closer to League Title

Corona del Mar took a giant step toward its first Sea View League championship in 18 years by defeating Irvine, 6-5, Friday.

Ty Harper’s second home run of the game, a solo shot to right in the bottom of the seventh inning, did more than just win the game for the surging Sea Kings (12-6, 8-3). It gave Corona del Mar a two-game lead on second-place Irvine (12-9, 6-5) with four league games to play. It also gave the Sea Kings a 2-1 edge in the season series--the first tiebreaker should Corona del Mar and Irvine end the season tied.

Corona del Mar Coach John Emme does not want his team, which went to the playoffs last year for the first time since 1991, thinking about the postseason yet.

“We’re not thinking about anything except Woodbridge next week,” he said. But Emme also wants his team to have a playoff game at home.

“Last year we went to El Segundo in the first round and they boat-raced us right out of the playoffs,” Emme said. “So the kids know the importance of [having] a good seed.”

Harper, whose two-run homer in the bottom of the fifth tied the score, 5-5, wants more than a playoff berth in his final year.

“We have a lot of seniors here like myself who have never been in this position before,” said Harper, referring to the Sea Kings being in first place. “This is our chance. If we lose it, we’ll go out with a fight. But I know we’re not going to let down.”

Sea King starter Brett Elliston (4-0) gave up only five hits in seven innings, including a two-run homer to Irvine’s Evan Little in the third. But he also walked six (one intentionally), hit three batters, had three wild pitches, and struck out only one.

Matt Larson lined a three-run homer to left in the first to give Corona del Mar a 3-2 lead. Then Harper, who had three hits and drove in two runs, supplied the rest of the power.