Marina playing strong

A year ago, the Marina baseball team won the Ryan Lemmon Invitational championship.

Through the first three days of this year’s tournament, the Vikings came away victorious three times and earned the right to play for another title against a familiar finals opponent.

Marina moved on to the championship game by downing Long Beach Poly, 8-6, Tuesday at Ryan Lemmon Stadium at Windrow Park in Irvine. The win put the Vikings in the tourney title game Wednesday where they took on Poly’s Moore League rival, Long Beach Millikan. The title game was a rematch of last year’s final which was won by the Vikings. The score from Wednesday’s game wasn’t available at press time.

Marina previously defeated Millikan, 4-3, earlier this month at the Loara Tournament.

In Tuesday’s win over Long Beach Poly, seniors Will Pingle and Griffin Hennessey each went two for four to lead the Viking offense. The pitching win went to sophomore Jared Minor (2-1).

The win moved Marina, which won its fourth-straight game, to 9-6 overall.

In its second tournament game, Marina rallied from a 1-0 deficit to Woodbridge (ranked sixth, CIF-SS Division 3) by scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth and held off the Warriors for a 3-2 win Monday. Junior Eric Anderson went three for five with a double, triple and RBI, Pingle had two hits and an RBI, freshman Steven Casas a hit and RBI, and Hennessey two hits. Sophomore right-hander James Englehart earned his first varsity win.

Marina began the tournament Saturday and edged Paramount, 9-8. Freshman right-hander Cory Lewis got the pitching win.

“Our players battled the three games to reach the finals,” Marina Coach Bob Marshall said. “They showed determination and perseverance in all of these games. Our bench was key in all of the victories.

“The first two games of the tourney were 10 innings each and it challenged our pitching. Junior varsity pitchers Ryan Marks and James Englehart were called up and they got the job done.”

Before the start of the spring break, Marina went to Fountain Valley for a March 24 Sunset League game and blanked the Barons, 3-0. Hennessey had a hit and RBI, Anderson a double and scored once, and senior Riley Ohl went the distance (four hits, seven strikeouts) and earned his second league win.

Marina evened its Sunset record at 2-2.

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•In other tournament action:

Edison fell to 2-2 in the Anaheim Lions Tournament after its 9-8 loss Tuesday to Riverside Poly at Edison. The loss put the Chargers at 5-9-1 overall.

The Chargers had won for the second time in the tournament by defeating Capistrano Valley Christian Monday, 8-6. Senior left-hander Brandon Davis (1-0) threw 1 1/3 relief innings and collected his first win. Junior left-hander Wyatt Mitchell earned a save. On offense, senior Kaz Akamatsu went two for three with a triple and three RBIs.

Edison played two games Saturday to start the tournament. The Chargers fell to Glendora, 4-3, but came back to upended defending tourney champion San Dimas, 7-2. Junior Kyler Arenado homered in the loss to Glendora. Senior Charlie Dysome delivered a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning, senior Leo Hyodo homered, and senior right-hander Ryan deBos (1-1) recorded his first win of the season.

“We are starting to put together better at-bats and better execution is leading to more production from our offense,” Edison Coach Cameron Chinn said. “All of our pitchers have contributed thus far in the tournament giving us good innings and putting in us in position to win games.”

The Lions Tournament concluded Wednesday. Scores from final games weren’t available at press time.

Edison is back in Sunset League action at 11 a.m. Saturday at Newport Harbor. The Chargers also host Fountain Valley at 3:15 p.m. next Wednesday.

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•Fountain Valley began play Monday at the Palm Springs Tournament and scored a 10-7 victory at Coachella Valley. The tournament runs through Thursday.

In its 3-0 Sunset League loss March 24 to Marina, junior Justin Mazzone doubled for the Barons who fell to 1-2 in league.

The Sunset League season resumes next Wednesday. At 3:15 p.m., Edison hosts Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach travels to Los Alamitos, and Marina hosts Newport Harbor.

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•Ocean View is idle during spring break. Before heading into the break, the Seahawks took an 8-3 home victory from Santa Ana March 24 to remain undefeated in Golden West League play. They held a 5-0 lead heading into the fourth inning in improving to 3-0 in league and 4-6 overall.

Senior Brayden Salzman went two for two with two RBIs and scored twice, and junior right-hander Adam Carles took the pitching win.

“It feels good to take care of business and do the things we are suppose to in league,” first-year Ocean View Coach Tanner VanMaanen said. “We challenged our guys early in the year and it is paying dividends in league. So now, the kids deserve a break and we can get back on it after break.”

Ocean View continues league play at 3:15 p.m. next Wednesday hosting Loara.

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•In its first three games at the Anaheim Lions Tournament, Brethren Christian lost to Burney (Reno, Nev., 6-3) and Magnolia (9-2) Saturday, and to San Diego Horizon Christian (5-3) Monday.

BC played an Academy League game March 24 against Crean Lutheran (No. 2 CIF-SS Division 6) and lost to the Saints, 9-1. Jake Mann went two for two with a triple and scored once for the Warriors.

The Lions Tournament concluded Wednesday.

BC is back in league action at 3 p.m. next Tuesday hosting Sage Hill, the top-ranked team in Division 6.