Youth Scene: VFW belts three home runs in win

Laguna Beach VFW ended its regular season with a bang, then two more, Saturday in defeating Newport Beach 90 Meters in Little League Majors Division action.

VFW hit three home runs and scored a 9-4 victory.

Grady Morgan and Christian Holm both homered in the first inning and VFW took a quick 5-0 lead and never looked back. Morgan’s home run was his fifth of the season which led the Majors Division.

Cutter Clawson hit a laser over the fence in the fifth inning to complete the scoring. Earlier in the fifth, Nolan Smith missed hitting his first home run this season by inches, but his double drove in a run.

Jaden Rea was the offensive standout for VFW, as he collected four hits and had two RBIs. Ashton Embury hit the ball hard, while John Phelan and James Loughlin each were on base three times. Charlie Pillsbury had two hits and was the defensive standout at catcher.

After Saturday’s game, the team was treated to cake generously provided by Arnie Silverman and members of Laguna Beach’s VFW and VFW Auxiliary.

In a previous game played May 8, VFW won the battle of first-place teams by defeating Newport Beach RDM, 5-4.

Newport took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but VFW responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Morgan singled and stole second, moved to third on a Christian Holm single, and both scored when Nate Magers hit his first home run of the season. Magers sent a deep ball that easily cleared the center-field fence.

Newport struck for three more runs in the fourth but VFW answered with another run in the bottom of the inning driven in by Noah Haymond to tie the score at 4-4.

Pillsbury relived Morgan on the mound and shut down Newport in the fifth and sixth innings. VFW scored the winning run in the fifth when Magers drew a walk with the bases loaded.

Rea, Loughlin and Pillsbury also had hits in the game.

VFW’s first postseason playoff game is Monday at Riddle Field.

— Reader submission