Laguna sluggish again in 5-0 loss

The first batter for Laguna Beach on Tuesday, junior Chris Paul, hit a double.

Paul then could only watch as the next three Breakers struck out.

To Coach Jeff Sears, simple execution is an area in which the Breakers are often lacking. It was made more apparent after they fell, 5-0, to Calvary Chapel in an Orange Coast League game at Skipper Carrillo Field.

Laguna fell to 2-3 in league “” two games behind first-place Calvary “” and the teams play again today at Orange Coast College.

“Execution’s a part of our game,” Sears said. “When you don’t execute, you can’t win, doesn’t matter if it’s offense or defense. We didn’t execute on either side of the ball today.”

The Breakers, who are winless in three league games at home, could have used that first-inning run. Senior starter Casey Miller (4-2) allowed just one hit through the first three innings, but the Eagles caught up to him in the fourth.

Chad Wallach hit an infield single and was doubled to third by Ryan McDaniel. Both players came home when sophomore Kyle Mellinger hit a towering home run down the right-field line.

Calvary added a pair of unearned runs in the fifth.

Laguna wasn’t able to get a runner to third base until the bottom of the seventh, when Keaton Jones was hit by a pitch, advanced to second and eventually stole third.

But he was stranded there.

Paul was two for three against Calvary senior starting pitcher Brett Perry, who scattered four hits. Stevie Contursi and Erik Peruzzi added singles for the Breakers

“Laguna Beach is always a good-hitting team,” Calvary Chapel Coach Doug Adams said. “Sears does a great job of coaching hitters. I told my guys about the fourth inning, this team always gets better in the second half of the game offensively. Kudos to my guy [Perry], though, for really battling. He just competed all the way.

“I really like the intensity level that we’re playing with right now,” Adams said.

Sears, who might see hopes for a league title slip away with a loss today, is looking for the same thing.

“I’ve got to find somebody who wants to step up, somebody who wants to be the man,” he said.