Little League Baseball: Marlins learn in loss

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - There is much knowledge to attain in Little League.

Fundamentals are essential for the future, thus the reasons Marlins’

Coach Julian Valdez wanted his players to continue to play when the game

could have been called at TeWinkle Intermediate School.

Costa Mesa National Little League’s Minor B division doesn’t have the

mercy rule, but the Marlins could have ended the game anyway because of

the time limit.

The Diamondbacks, the home team, was ahead, 11-1, and Valdez gave the

go-ahead as his squad went on to lose, 19-1. But, believe it or not, that

was beside the point.

“(The decision was) for the kids to get more practice,” Valdez said.

“A lot of them did learn from it. We showed improvement and that’s what

we look for.”

In the bottom of the fifth and final inning, Jesse Fox, of the

Diamondbacks, took off for home on a passed ball, Marlins catcher Daniel

Carter retrieved the ball and ran at Fox. The two collided, leaving

Carter on the ground.

The Marlins catcher sat the rest of the game, but he displayed

toughness and a strong desire by trying to tag out Fox. Carter also made

a sensational catch when he slid to his knees and extended his glove to

snag a pop fly in the fourth inning.

Manager Andy Pierce’s Diamondbacks had a few highlights of their own.

The Diamondbacks went through the maximum 10 batters in the third

inning, scoring seven runs and enjoying themselves with a secure cushion.

Chase Harrison, who was walked to get on, stole second before Jeremy

Jeranko singled him in to begin the seven-run spree. Anthony Israelson

smacked a base-hit to left field which brought in Chris Shelton and Fox.

Costa Mesa National provides a rule of a maximum 10 batters in innings

1 through 3 for the Minor B division.

Bryan Guzman scored the Marlins’ lone run in the fourth inning and the

Marlins held the Diamondbacks scoreless in their next at-bat.

Diamondbacks Fox, Daniel Derieg and Kurtis Dryden scored three runs

each, while Jeranko, Harrison, Shelton and Justin Bosecker tallied two

each. Harrison, Shelton and Fox finished with one RBI each, while Mike

Pierce banged two hits and scored once.

Pierce pitched for two innings, striking out two. Harrison also went

two innings and struck out four, while Fox fanned three batters in his

one inning of work.