Costa Mesa National shows promise

Barry Faulkner

As in no other bastion of baseball, Little League is precise in its

procedures. Wrought with precautionary rules to protect the players,

as well as enough mind-numbing minutia to keep managers and coaches

leafing through rule books deep into the summer, it is this seemingly

unceasing paper chase that some might view as an irritating

interruption to the simple joys of the game.

For all its often boorish bureaucracy, however, there is wisdom

behind nearly every letter of the Little League law.

Perhaps no better example is the double-elimination format it has

adopted for all-star competition, enabling forgiveness to follow any

team’s first postseason loss and empowering the defeated with the

promise of another day.

The Costa Mesa National Little League All-Stars proved thoroughly

deserving of this reclamation proclamation Monday.

Despite a 4-1 loss to Huntington Beach-based Seaview in the first

round of the District 62 major division all-star tournament at

TeWinkle Intermediate School, Costa Mesa displayed enough defense,

pitching, hitting and baserunning ability to give potential victory a

prominent place in its dugout.

“We battled,” summed up Costa Mesa Manager Kim Pederson, who had

plenty of reason to be proud of his squad, which will return to

action Wednesday at 5 p.m. against the loser to tonight’s first-round

clash between Robinwood and Ocean View. “We played great defense ...

and we hit the ball. What more can I ask? I thought our kids played

great.”

Outside of a three-run first-inning outburst, Costa Mesa also

played its opponent even Monday.

Seaview, the designated home team, strung together four of its six

hits in the first, when it seized a 3-0 lead.

A bunt single opened the rally and a sacrifice bunt attempt

followed. Costa Mesa got the out at first and appeared to relay the

ball back to third ahead of a sliding runner trying to advance two

bases on the play. But the call went against Costa Mesa and Chance

Ross followed with an RBI double.

After a flyout, back-to-back singles, the latter by Ryan Miller

producing two RBIs, capped the rally, which ended on the same play,

when Miller was thrown out at second by pitcher Nick Pederson.

Pederson was the cutoff man on the play, fielding the throw in from

right fielder Alex Grosek and relaying it to second baseman Frank

DeNoewer, who applied the tag.

It was the first of two assists by Costa Mesa outfielders, as

center fielder Danny O’Neill collected an overthrow of second base

and threw to third in time to retire a runner trying to pick up the

extra base in the fourth.

O’Neill also stabbed a line shot to center in the third, while

left fielders Cody Green and Nick Oliver fielded fly balls to add to

Mesa’s errorless evening.

Costa Mesa’s infield wasn’t left out of the defensive display,

with third baseman Taylor West fielding flawlessly to lead the way.

West had four assists, including a sparkling stop of a ground-ball

rocket to her backhand side in the fifth, as well as one putout.

DeNoewer also short-hopped a hard-hit grounder with his backhand

near second to start a perfect third inning, while catcher Ryan

Knapp, shortstop Troy McClanahan, Weston Barloon (who came in at

second in the fourth inning), as well as Ryding at first, helped

support Nick Pederson’s quality pitching.

The younger Pederson surrendered only two hits the final four

innings and did not walk a batter in his complete-game effort.

Costa Mesa had just three hits -- singles by Josh Ryding,

McClanaghan and Oliver -- but it put its leadoff man on in the

second, fourth and fifth innings and had at least one base runner in

all but the third.

Grosek’s groundout plated Knapp in the fifth for the only Mesa

run.

“We couldn’t get the timely hit and they did,” Kim Pederson said.

“Give them credit. I thought both teams played a great game.”