Lawson, CdM in control

IRVINE — With its 11-4 Pacific Coast League victory at University High Friday, the Corona del Mar High baseball team secured control of its own destiny.

Sea Kings sophomore Brent Lawson can surely identify with that.

Lawson, starting for the first time in two weeks after a .130 batting average in 46 at-bats prompted his benching, also did much to improve his future by going three for four with a home run, a triple and three runs batted in to key a crucial CdM triumph.

Lawson, a third baseman who batted seventh in the order, was part of a lower third of the lineup that produced seven of the Sea Kings’ 15 hits.

The win allowed the Sea Kings (9-13, 6-5 in league) to move into second place in the league standings, climbing ahead of San Juan Hills (5-5), which lost Friday to Irvine.

University, which had defeated CdM and held the Sea Kings to one run in each of the teams’ previous league meetings, fell to 6-14, 4-6 in league.

CdM finishes its regular season with home-and-home series against San Juan Hills (Tuesday and May 7) and league-leading Beckman (May 11 and 13).

Thanks to some adjustments, some impressive recent practices, and punishing Uni pitching Friday, Lawson, who hit .259 in 26 varsity games as a freshman, now figures more prominently in his team’s stretch drive.

“Brent Lawson snapped out of it, big-time,” CdM Coach John Emme said. “He sat out the last three of four games and we’ve really been harping on him to get him to shorten up his swing a little bit and hit the middle of the baseball. The last two practices, he had the best two [batting practices] I’ve ever seen him have. He worked his way back into the lineup and good things happened.”

Lawson singled in his first at-bat, then struck out in his second. He launched a three-run homer, the first of his varsity career, with one out in the fifth inning, when the Sea Kings scored four to increase their lead to 7-2.

Lawson tripled and scored in a four-run seventh for CdM, which produced hits from eight spots in the lineup.

“I was ready to go,” Lawson said. “It was pay day. I put in all my hard work, so I was just ready to let it fly. I guess the confidence I had in batting practice carried into the game.”

Senior second baseman Brian Hurst also went three for four with four stolen bases and scored twice, while senior catcher Beau Attyah, senior left fielder Parker Werline and junior right fielder Will Morrow all chipped in two hits apiece.

Werline drove in two while Attyah and Morrow had one RBI apiece.

Junior shortstop Mitch Gardner also drove in a run with a double, his first extra-base hit of the season.

Junior pitcher Eric Morris pitched six innings to get the win, his fifth in seven decisions this season.

Morris left the bases loaded in the first as both teams stranded 10 baserunners.

“[The Sea Kings] really hit the ball well,” University Coach Chris Conlin said. “They were determined today, they got after us and they deserved to win. They clobbered us.”

Michael Borchard (one for two with two walks and two runs) and Brian Ford (one for three with two walks, two runs and a stolen base) also contributed for Corona del Mar, which reached double-digit runs for the fifth time this season.

“This is a huge win for us,” Emme said. “It’s a difference maker in whether we control our own fate or we have to go with a whole lot of wishing and hoping. We’re in the driver’s seat to take care of ourselves.”

Pacific Coast League

Corona del Mar 11, University 4

SCORE BY INNINGS

CdM 102 040 4 - 11 15 1

Uni 101 011 0 - 4 10 1

Morris, Salam and Attyah; Boulais, Lososkie (5), McNeill (5), Creene (7). W – Morris, 5-2. L – Boulais. 2B – Martin (U), Hurst (CdM), Gardner (CdM). 3B – Lawson (CdM). HR – Lawson (CdM).