Little League: Mesa’s loss hardly matters

Steve Virgen

WESTMINSTER - The final score was of little concern for Costa Mesa

American Little League’s 9- and 10-year-old All-Stars Manager Charlie

Christiansen Saturday at Johnson Middle School. He knows what his players

are capable of and the result -- Westminster won, 12-0, in five innings

in the District 62 All-Stars Tournament -- hardly reflected that.

“We could’ve beaten (Westminster),” Christiansen said. “We just

weren’t ready to play. We now have to come back on Tuesday and be ready

to play. I hope our kids learn from this loss.”

Though Westminster was termed the “visitors” in the scorebooks, in

reality, that was hardly the case. Throughout the regular season, players

from the Westminster All-Stars squad played their home games on the same

field of Saturday’s game.

The home-field advantage assuredly helped Westminster as it scored two

runs in the first, one in each of the third and fourth innings, and then

came up big with an eight-run fifth, as four of those runs came unearned.

The CMALL 9- and 10-year-old All-Stars still managed to record some

stellar defensive plays, while Elliott Patton collected the team’s lone

hit with a single to right field in the fifth.

Costa Mesa left fielder Mike Kelly caught three high fly balls, two in

the second inning when shortstop Mike Molina calmly grabbed a screaming

line drive.

In the third inning, catcher Mike Wilson slid to his knees and blocked

the sun with his glove to snag a foul ball for the third out.

Costa Mesa’s Jordan Palmer, who stood deep in center field, sprinted

toward the infield and stretched for a great catch in the fifth inning.

Pitcher Jesse Dawson went three innings and allowed just three runs as

he scattered four and had only one walk.

Costa Mesa will play Fountain Valley, Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Johnson

Middle School, in the loser’s bracket.