Hook hurls LC to championship

 Submitted by Greg Reposa

Cameron Hook, a Lifestyle Caddy pitcher, came up big again with another great outing when it mattered most.

Hook yielded just two runs to Chamberlain over the full six innings and helped lead LC to an 8-2 win and the Newport Beach Little League Majors Division championship on Saturday at Lincoln Elementary.

LC jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Cole Collins hit a lead-off double, followed by Justin Hess’ RBI double and then Hook’s RBI single.

Chamberlain clawed its way back with one run in the second and third innings to tie the game, 2-2. Then in the bottom of the third, Hess had another RBI double to score Collins and make the score, 3-2.

Hook got stronger as the game went on, allowing no runs after the third inning. LC did add some insurance runs with two in the bottom of the fourth. Then they notched another three runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by Hook’s RBI double, Tiger Carroll’s RBI single and Clayton Johnston’s RBI double.

Chamberlain got outstanding performances from 10-year-old Harry Miller, who had two terrific defensive plays at second base and scored a run; Conner Deverian, who was the starting pitcher, held LC to three runs through three innings and also had a double.

Mesa Upended

 Submitted by Scott McCourtney

The Robinwood Phillies packed on some late runs Monday to defeat the Costa Mesa American Dodgers, 11-4, in an opening round game of the Majors Division playoffs.

The Phillies scored the game’s final seven runs at Inspiration Field, home of Huntington Valley Little League in Huntington Beach.

Greg Fronek Jr. recorded 10 strikeouts over the 4 1/3 innings to subdue the Dodgers.

The Phillies were the No. 1 Majors team out of Robinwood; the Dodgers were the second-place Majors team from Costa Mesa American.

The first inning was all Phillies baseball. Fronek struck out the side in the top-half of the frame. The Phillies scored in their first at-bat to grab a 1-0 lead.

The Dodgers answered back in the second when Romar Ortiz hit a massive, opposite field two-run home run over the right-field fence to give his team a 2-1 lead. The Phillies, however, came back quickly. In the bottom of the second they posted three more runs to go on top, 4-2. Robinwood might have posted a few more runs had it not been for a great leaping catch by William Leiby in right field for a crucial out.

The fourth inning proved to be similar to the second as Mickey Beliakoff hit a line drive two-run homer to left to tie the score at 4-4. A smiling Beliakoff acknowledged the crowd by waving his hat in the air. But the celebration was short-lived as the bottom of the fourth saw the Phillies tack on six runs, three coming on a bases-clearing triple by Fornek that gave the Phillies a 10-4 advantage.

After the game, Fronek felt very confident about his play and the win.

“I expected to do this,” he said. “It’s normal for me to get 10 K’s.”

Dodgers Done

 Submitted by Tamer Omran

The Costa Mesa National Dodgers went head to head with the Westminster Titans Monday in a Little League District 62 Tournament of Champions Majors Divison battle battle that kept parents on their toes the entire game at Murdy Park.

In the end, the Dodgers lost, 1-0.

Through the regulation six innings, the game was scoreless. Both teams played solid defensively. Pitcher Cole Norris of the Dodgers threw close to 58 pitches and Titans hurler Mitchell Barnes didn’t allow the Dodgers much offense..

The Titans came up with a rally in the top of the seventh inning. Jared Vogt held it together and came up with a clutch hit. Saddled with two strikes, he sent a fly ball to right-center field to get on base. Pinch runner Anthony Preciado later advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Ashton Kauwe and Preciado went on to score the game’s only run on a wild pitch.

“This was a team win,” Titans Manager Mark Steinert said. “All the guys kept it together. We played a team game and in the end picked up this needed win.”

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Killer Whales Win

 Submitted by Martin Klein

The Newport Hills Swim Team Killer Whales traveled to the Fountain Valley home pool of the Greenbrook Gators and left with a 749-452 South Coast Swim Conference victory Saturday

The Killer Whales started the meet in dramatic fashion, swimming to blue ribbon finishes in the first 18 events of the day — along the way, winning each of the medley relay races.

Throughout the day, Newport Hills was led by their under-6 boys, 7-8 girls, 7-8 boys and 11-12 boys — all of which took first place honors in both the medley and freestyle relays, as well as their individual freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke age events.

Five different Killer Whales swimmers were three-time winners in individual events: Speedy Laster, in the under-6 boys, won the 25 free, the 25 breaststroke and 25 backstroke, Jake Bays in the 7-8 boys, was first in the 25 free, 25 butterfly and 50 free, Madeline Musselman in the 9-10 girls, took first place in the 50 free, 25 fly and 100 individual medley, Henry Wilde in the 9-10 boys, won the 50 free, 25 fly and 100 IM and Christian Garkani in the 13-14 boys, swam to first-place wins in the 50 free, 50 fly and 100 IM, setting a new team record of 58.81, breaking his own record which he had set on May 17.