Softball: Old friends reunite

Joseph Boo

NEWPORT BEACH - Welcome back, CdM.

It must have been nice for Newport Harbor High’s softball team to see its

old Back Bay rival Corona del Mar across the field Thursday, and not

because the Sailors won, 15-3. After a hiatus in 1998 and 1999, the Sea

Kings have a softball team again, and the intense, but friendly, rivalry

is renewed.

“We haven’t played them in three years,” Newport Harbor Coach Jess

Martinson said. “It’s nice to see them again. They have a good, young

team.”

It was a nonleague affair with CdM now in the Pacific Coast League.

Newport also came in with a 2-0 record, and the host Sailors jumped out

to an early 5-0 lead in the first inning, sending 11 batters to the plate.

Newport senior Lindsay Moore singled in Athena Vasquez for the game’s

first run. Two batters later, Kristen Smith had a two-run single, scoring

Moore and Shelby Crisp. Amanda Campbell drove Smith home, and Lauren

Gallardo scored Newport’s fifth run off a fielder’s choice.

The young Sea Kings (0-3) did not help their cause, committing four of

their seven errors in the first inning.

“We’ve got to get over the errors,” CdM Coach Terry Christiano said. “We

make too many mental and physical errors. Once they get settled in, they

do OK.”

On offense, CdM only got one run off Newport starting pitcher Mariko

Mikami (1-0). CdM’s lone run came in the second when Lauren Loe singled

Casey Bunney home. CdM’s hardest hit ball came from starting pitcher

Mijanou Pham, (0-3), who hit a sharp double to right-center field in the

first inning.

Newport scored two more runs in the second, five in the third, and three

in the fourth before CdM reliever Alissa Zoelle pitched consecutive 1-2-3

innings.

Newport’s freshman pitcher Kim Moore arrived in the fourth inning and

retired eight of the first nine batters she faced, giving up a lone

baserunner on an error.

CdM then scored twice in the sixth off three consecutive two-out singles.

Zoelle and Meaghan Bunney started the rally, and Casey Bunney drove both

of them in with her second single.

For Newport, the senior Moore, and Smith, each had two RBIs. Campbell,

who went 2 for 2 with two walks. Vasquez and Gallardo each scored three

runs. Campbell and Brianne Parmeter had one RBI.

“Our kids came out and played hard,” Martinson said.

Despite the score, CdM decided not to enact the mercy rule and end the

game after five innings, and both teams were congenial with handshakes

during and after the game.

“The kids were excited about playing Newport Harbor,” Christiano said.

“Most of them know each other. We play them again (on March 20).

Hopefully, we’ll have a different outcome.”

Nonleague

Newport Harbor 15, Corona del Mar 3

Score by innings

Corona del Mar 010 002 0 - 3 6 7

Newport Harbor 525 300 x - 15 8 3

Pham, Zoelle (3) and Cole, Tyson (2); Mikami, K. Moore (4) and Campbell.

W - Mikami, 1-0; L - Pham, 0-3. 2B - Pham (CdM), Vasquez (NH).