Newport Beach hitters silenced by Hargreaves

Bryce Alderton

Judging by the looks on their faces and the food in their mouths, the

Newport Beach Little League National Major All-Stars had already put

Tuesday night’s game behind them.

It was probably a good thing they did.

The 11- and 12-year-olds from Newport were humbled by a towering

pitcher and a few big hitters from host Rancho Mission Viejo --

playing on its home field -- which pounded its way to a 9-1 victory

in a second-round District 55 Major All-Stars tournament game at

Curtis Park.

Jordan Hargreaves, RMV’s starting pitcher, limited Newport to just

one hit while striking out 10, including the side in three of his 4

2/3 innings on the mound. He limited Newport to one hit -- a one-out

bunt single by Fletcher Della Grotta in the first inning -- and one

run despite issuing seven walks. Hargreaves then helped himself with

the bat, blasting a solo home run into the row of parked cars beyond

the right-center field fence to leadoff the third inning, giving RMV

a 4-1 lead.

RMV scored four in the third to go with three in the first and two

in the fifth to spell the end for Newport, which didn’t go away

without a fight, something Manager John Della Grotta appreciated.

“They have the ability to rebound,” John Della Grotta said. “There

aren’t huge highs and lows. I wouldn’t think they would dwell on this

much after [this morning].”

Andrew Watt and Max Frisbie -- sitting near one another on a grass

embankment adjacent to where Newport players sat eating postgame

snacks -- each cracked a smile, knowing they faced a well-balanced

team Tuesday. Both nodded that they would be ready for Saturday at 5

p.m., when Newport plays the winner of Newport Beach American and

South Irvine American. The loser would drop out of the

double-elimination tournament.

“We will bounce back,” Watt said. “[RMV] is a good team.”

Watt pitched the final 1 2/3 innings in relief of Newport starter

Steven Manning, who struck out six and only issued one walk.

A few timely hits along with an error and a few wild pitches

melded together as the formula for RMV’s runs.

“Our pitchers pitched well,” John Della Grotta said. “Watt pitched

a whale of two innings and Manning did well. They had a few hits that

blooped in, so that, combined with the passed balls, was our

undoing.”

Newport, which clobbered 13 hits in a 13-2 win against Aliso Viejo

last Saturday, couldn’t muster a hit with runners in scoring

position.

With first and third and one out in the second and one run already

in, Manning came to the plate and hit a chopper fielded by third

baseman Josh Huntzinger, who saw the runner had drifted too far down

the third-base line. Huntzinger threw to catcher Jimmy Kinney and the

pickle was on. Kinney tossed back to Huntzinger, who applied the tag

for the second out and he immediately turned around to toss the ball

to shortstop Chris Moore, who made the final putout of the inning on

the sliding runner. Michael Bloom led off the inning with a walk,

stole second and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

“We ran ourselves out of that inning,” John Della Grotta said.

“The runner instinctively ran and it turned into a double play. If

the ball is an inch the other way, then it’s a double that scores two

runs. But give [RMV] credit. We had [Hargreaves] on the ropes early

on and he worked back to from behind in the count to throw strikes

when he needed to.”

Hargreaves, who injured his throwing shoulder playing soccer

earlier in the year, relied on a high fastball Newport hitters had a

difficult time catching up with.

“I was just trying to not get hit and get on base,” Frisbie, who

singled in Newport’s first-round game, said of his seven-pitch at-bat

which resulted in Newport’s third consecutive walk to begin the third

inning.

But with the bases loaded and no outs, Hargreaves hardly seemed

rattled. He promptly struck out the next three batters on nine

pitches to end the inning.

Newport managed only one baserunner after that, as relievers Alex

Dupre and Chris Moore tamed Newport’s bats.

“All three guys were about equal during the season,” Mike Willett,

RMV Manager said. “The key was getting out to a good start in the

first inning. We like being the visitors, even in our home park.”

RMV, which played its first tournament game after a bye Saturday,

plated three runs in the first, only one earned. Leadoff hitter Chris

Moore singled and scored on John Simons’ grounder fielded by third

baseman Camden Nicholson, whose throw to catcher Brad Hess was too

late to get the sliding runner. Huntzinger singled in Simons two

batters later.

Simons singled and scored in the third on a walk and Parker Finley

plated Huntzinger on a single to right.

Newport displayed some strong defense.

Hunter Alder -- playing at first -- snared a one-hopper off the

bat of Ryan Shott to get the putout in the first while Hess threw to

Zachman covering second to tag out a sliding runner to end the sixth.

James Petrilli battled the lights in center field to catch a line

drive off the bat of Moore in the sixth.

Scott Ely reached base on a fielder’s choice in the second while

Scott Thomsen made contact at the plate and saw action at first in

the game’s latter stages, all encouraging signs for John Della Grotta

as he looks forward to Saturday.

“I expect them to come back with a great effort,” he said. “I hope

it’s a good day for us.”