Breakers fall to the Hawks

The first meeting of the week between neighborhood rivals went to Laguna Hills Tuesday.

The Hawks rode the pitching of John Lamb to a 6-2 nonleague victory over host Laguna Beach at Skipper Carrillo Field.

“We faced one of the toughest pitchers in the county today,” Laguna Coach Dave Dopf said. “We did all right, but we didn’t make the adjustments on offense early in the game that we needed to. We fell behind and never caught up. Plus, our defense had a few miscues that led to a few of their runs.

“Overall, though, it was a good test for us.”

Trevor Pierce and Dalton Sype each had an RBI and Dominick Robusto scored both runs and had a stolen base for Laguna.

The neighborhood battle between the Breakers and Seahawks will continue today at 3:15 p.m. at Laguna Hills. Senior Nathan Pickett, one of the county’s top strikeout leaders with 66, will start for the Breakers.

The Breakers return to league action Tuesday at Costa Mesa.

In previous play, Laguna traveled to Huntington Beach Saturday for a nonleague doubleheader with Ocean View. The two teams, both just days removed from playing several games in a short span of days at the Anaheim Lions Tournament, split the twinbill.

In the first game, the visiting Breakers held on for a 4-3 victory in an eight-inning affair. The second game was an offensive showcase, as the two teams combined for 31 hits and 32 runs and Ocean View came out on top, 17-15.

In the first game, Laguna held a 2-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth but that’s where the Seahawks tied the score on a solo home run by junior Sean Burleson.

In extra innings, Laguna scored twice in the top of the eighth to take a 4-2 lead but Ocean View rallied to within 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth and had bases loaded with two out. Seahawks senior Davey Hughey faced a full count when Robusto came to the mound and, delivering his first pitch of the season, got Hughey to swing for strike three to end the game and record the save.

Pickett and Bill Sanders both doubled for Laguna. Will Burk, in relief of Pickett and the second of four Laguna pitchers in the first game, got the win.

In game two, both teams woke up offensively although on defense, Laguna committed several costly errors.

The Breakers had 16 hits and Ocean View pounded 15 in a 17-15 win for the Seahawks. Senior Manny Guzman had a career day for Ocean View, going four for five with three doubles, a home run and six RBI.

In all, there were nine extra-base hits in the game. For Laguna, Rob Cortright hit a two-run home run in the fifth and Nick Bradvica a three-run shot in the seventh. Sanders doubled twice.

“Going into it, hoping to at least get a split out of it,” Dopf said. “I wasn’t thrilled with the way we played. We got through that first game but we were able to get going offensively in that second game.

“I was disappointed in our pitching, though, in that second game. We got behind batters, hit four batters in the third inning and just didn’t throw well, at all.”

Ocean View Coach Shane Borowski was pleased that his team came back to win the second game.

“After the tough loss in the first game we knew we had to come out swinging, I just didn’t expect both teams to muscle up the way they did,” Borowski said. “I guess that’s what happens at the end of a seven-games-in-seven-days stretch. Both teams were weary and we were fortunate to come out on top in the second game.”

In softball

Playing its first game in two weeks, Laguna lost at home to Estancia, 20-2. The Eagles hit four home runs in the contest. Laguna hosts Calvary Chapel at 3:15 p.m. today.