Loara’s Bats Start Fast, Leave Katella in Dust

Loara rocked Katella for nine runs in the first two innings en route to a 10-0 victory Wednesday in an Empire League baseball game at Boysen Park in Anaheim.

“We just came out hitting,” Loara Coach Dave Lappin said. “[The early lead] took a lot of pressure off us.”

The Saxons (4-8, 3-1) opened with five runs in the first.

After Loara put two men on with a leadoff single and an error, David Ortiz and Ricky Smith each had run-scoring singles. Ismael Silva followed with a double to drive in the third run, and catcher Paul Pratali had a two-run single to give Loara a 5-0 lead.

Katella Coach Tim McMenamin said Loara’s aggressiveness was the difference.

“They came out and swung the bat,” said McMenamin, whose team’s record dropped to 7-4, 2-2. “They’re a good hitting team, one of the best around.”

Meanwhile, Katella’s bats were silent. Loara’s Ortiz was on target with both his fastball and his curve in holding Katella to one hit.

“Everything I threw hit its spot,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz doubled and later scored on an error in the second inning. Silva followed with his second run-scoring double, and the Saxons scored twice more in the inning on a groundout and a wild pitch.