Rotary blanks Diamondbacks, 7-0

Shutout victories are beginning to become habit for Team Rotary.

Behind the pitching of Nick Witte and Austin Hyden, Rotary posted its

second consecutive shutout triumph of the week by tossing a combined

one-hitter as the team defeated the San Juan Capistrano Diamondbacks,

7-0, in Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division action.

The game marked the third outing in the month of April that Witte and

Hyden have combined on a one-hit shutout.

Hyden finished the month by limiting opposing hitters to only two hits

and one unearned run in 17 innings on the mound, leading Rotary to three

shutouts in its six games played in April.

Against the Diamondbacks, Rotary scored what turned out to be the only

run the team would need as Hyden doubled off the top of the left-center

field fence and scored on Chris Smith’s RBI single in the first inning.

In the second inning, Roy Herbert doubled and scored, and Dylan

McDonald walked and scored to push the lead to 3-0. In the third inning,

John Palfreyman walked, Herbert came up with his second hit of the game,

Will Bonsey singled, and Jesse Cook belted a double off the top of the

left-field fence to fuel a four-run inning and stretch Rotary’s lead to

7-0.

Witte finished his three-inning pitching stint with four strikeouts

while limiting the D-backs to an infield single. He received solid

defensive support from center fielder Jack Monroe and Herbert behind the

plate.

Hyden took the mound in the fourth inning and completed the shutout as

he also registered four strikeouts without a hit. His pitching was backed

by the defensive play of right fielder Jake Killian, catcher Dylan

McDonald and Palfreyman at second base.

In other games:

AAA DIVISION

Laguna Batting Cages 17

Courtesy Auto 6

Laguna Batting Cages, behind singles by Brett Linkletter, Adam Selevan

and Zach Riegler, jumped out to a five-run, first-inning lead and never

looked back in ending the first half of Majors Division play on a winning

note.

Singles by Andrew Palmer, Michael Hyden and Brian Yale cleared loaded

bases in the second inning as Laguna Batting Cages extended its lead.

Alex Sasaki and Andrew Levin each scored twice for Laguna Batting

Cages.

The defensive play of Brent Donenfeld squelched a few Courtesy Auto

rallies.

Jack Clark and Trevor Yorke scored for Courtesy Auto.