High School Roundup: Pender stars in triumph

NEWPORT BEACH — Blake Pender has pitched well all season for the Newport Harbor High baseball team.

On Tuesday, the sophomore earned his first victory of the season.

Pender threw the team’s first complete-game shutout of the season, lifting the host Sailors to a 3-0 victory against Chino Hills in a pool-play game of the Beach Pit Classic.

Chino Hills, Newport Harbor and Northwood each finished 2-1 in pool play, but Chino Hills wound up winning the pool because it allowed fewer runs.

The Sailors (5-12) play host to Pasadena La Salle (11-6-1) on Wednesday at 2 p.m. Chino Hills plays Laguna Hills, which won its pool, at Newport Harbor at 10:30 a.m.

Pender (1-4) struck out four and allowed five hits, all singles, and one walk.

“Any time he needed a strike, he reached back and got it,” Newport Harbor Coach Patrick Murphy said of Pender, who went into the game with a 2.40 earned-run average. “He hit the outside corner of the plate and got a lot of groundball outs.”

The easy outs allowed Newport Harbor to win its second straight game in the tournament after dropping the opener.

The Sailors have won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

Pender got out of trouble in the top of the seventh against Chino Hills (10-7). With runners on the corners and no outs, catcher Tk McWhertor helped him out by throwing out a runner trying to steal second base.

Pender did the rest, recording a strikeout and getting the next batter to fly out.

The Sailors scored their first run in the third inning after Tyler Taormina and McWhertor got on base after getting hit by pitches. Taormina came around to score on an error.

In the fifth inning, freshman Ryan McCully led off and reached base on an error. McWhertor drove in a run on a groundout and Shaun Vetrovec doubled in a run.

Jordan Desguin, who went two for three with a double, is six for 11 with two doubles during the tournament. Desguin, a leadoff hitter, is bound for Florida State.

“They’re pretty good offensively and their team ERA is tough,” Patrick said of La Salle, which went 2-1 in pool play, its only setback was to Beckman, which went undefeated and won its pool. “Hopefully we can carry some momentum into tomorrow after our last two wins.”

Beckman plays Fountain Valley, which won its pool by going 3-0, on Wednesday at 2 p.m at Estancia.

Other scores from Tuesday’s games: San Juan Hills 6, Reno 2; La Salle 2, Greeley 1; Beckman 24, Costa Mesa 0; Northwood 10, Calabasas 3; Laguna Hills 11, Foothill 3.

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BASEBALL

Corona del Mar 14, Long Beach Jordan 3

CORONA DEL MAR — Brett Thompson and Andrew McCormack both went two for four with two runs batted in for the Sea Kings in a pool-play game of the Beach Pit Classic Tuesday.

Tyler Maloney went one for two with three RBIs and Ryan Banning was one for one with a double and two RBIs for CdM (11-6).

Sea Kings Sam Younesi, Jeff Harrison and Kobe Yank-Jacobs each collected their first career hit. CdM pitcher Cort Hastings delivered five innings of relief for the win.

The Sea Kings play against San Juan Hills Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in a consolation game.

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Fountain Valley 1, Estancia 0 (11 innings)

COSTA MESA — Senior Andres Hernandez pitched 10 innings, striking out six in the no decision, as the Eagles lost the pool-play game at the Beach Pit Classic in extra innings on Tuesday.

Hernandez kept Estancia in it, allowing eight hits, but the Eagles dropped their third game in the tournament.

Hernandez, Ben Beck and Steven Macias each had hits for Estancia.

The Eagles (10-6) close out the four-day tournament with a game at home against Calabasas on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m.

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BOYS’ LACROSSE

Corona del Mar 14, El Toro 4

CORONA DEL MAR — Senior Michael Keasey recorded five goals in a Pacific Coast League game on Tuesday, helping the Sea Kings, ranked No. 4 in the state by laxpower.com, improve to 11-0, 7-0 in league.

CdM travels to San Francisco to compete in the Jerry Langkammer Invitational at St. Ignatius Prep, which is ranked No. 1 in the state. The three-day tournament begins Thursday.

CdM goalie Michael Ortlieb made seven saves against El Toro.

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BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

Sage Hill def. Oxford Academy

NEWPORT COAST — Senior outside hitter Chris Zadra recorded 11 kills, nine digs and seven service aces in the Lightning’s 25-12, 25-11, 25-14 Academy League sweep on Tuesday.

Creagan Lydon had seven kills for Sage Hill (15-11, 5-1 in league).

Kent Kawaguchi finished with 31 assists and four kills.

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BOYS’ TENNIS

Sage Hill 12, Oxford Academy 6

CYPRESS — Senior Robbe Simon swept at No. 1 singles for the Lightning in Tuesday’s Academy League match on the road.

Alex Manolakas and Eric Magliarditi swept at No. 1 doubles for Sage Hill (6-9, 4-1 in league). Cole Solaas at No. 2 singles, as well as the doubles teams of Ryan Lee and Sam Sherman, as well as Garrett Rapport and David Kim, also won sets for Sage.

The Lightning play at Corona del Mar on Saturday at 12:30 p.m.