Softball: Sailors start strong

We’re only in the first full week of March, but the Newport Harbor High softball team has already surpassed its win total from the past two seasons.

Combined.

The Sailors are learning how to win. On Thursday afternoon, they added another item to their growing résumé — their first comeback victory.

Newport Harbor scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to beat Anaheim Western, 6-4, at the Sailors’ field.

Newport is now 5-1 this season under second-year Coach Mike Hunter. The previous two years, the Sailors were a combined 4-46-1. Before this year, Newport Harbor had not even won five games in a whole season since 2012.

“We’ve come together as a team and our bats are coming alive,” said senior first baseman Ashley McNerney, who was two for three with a run batted in on Thursday. “It’s amazing. We never won. Last year we won two games out of 25, and now we’re 5-1. That just feels so good as seniors, having a winning streak so far. I’m really happy.”

McNerney is one of two seniors on the team. Outfielder Haley Martinez, who shares team captain duties with junior second baseman Kendall Machado, is the other.

“It’s something new,” Martinez said of the winning. “We’re not used to that. We’re doing a lot more team bonding than we normally do, and it’s bringing us together.”

Hunter said continuity has been key for his team, which lost just two seniors from last year’s squad in Shea Horvath and Tanner Rodriguez. Horvath played center field, so Martinez has moved to that position. The last two seasons, Martinez split pitching duties with junior Sammy Del Toro.

This year, Del Toro has shouldered the load in the circle so far for the Sailors. The right-hander allowed three earned runs on seven hits Thursday, walking two and striking out six. Del Toro settled down in the later innings, after Western (1-4) scored in the top of the third to grab a 3-0 advantage. Miranda Nester led off with a double, then was driven home by freshman Jaqlynn Nester, who had all four of the visitors’ RBIs.

“We were throwing curveballs in the beginning of the game, and it wasn’t working for me,” Del Toro said. “They were hitting it. During the end of the game, I told the catcher [Lesly De La Rosa] to start [calling] inside pitches and change-ups. And it was starting to work.”

The Sailors did their part on offense, too, chipping away at the deficit. McNerney scored in the bottom of the third on a single by junior Skialer Carter. Freshman leadoff hitter Leah Freeman and Machado led off the bottom of the fourth with a pair of infield singles, and Freeman eventually came home on a sacrifice fly by McNerney.

Still down, 3-2, the Sailors struck big in the sixth. Freeman led off by stroking a two-strike single to left, and went to second on a passed ball. An out later, she scored on junior Diana Surber’s bloop single behind shortstop to tie the game.

Newport Harbor wasn’t done. After McNerney was hit by a pitch, an infield single by Martinez loaded the bases. Del Toro followed with a sacrifice fly to center, and the other runners moved up. Carter then smacked the first pitch she saw to center for a single. Her second and third RBIs of the game gave the Sailors a 6-3 advantage.

Miranda Nester led off the top of the seventh for Western with a double down the left-field line and later scored, but Del Toro was able to stop the rally and end the game. She got a strikeout and a groundout to end the game.

“I’m going to take off to Vegas and I’m playing 13,” Hunter yelled to Del Toro, who wears that number. “I’m playing your number, girl.”

The Sailors were indeed happy to get another win. As McNerney said, they are hitting well, especially the two seniors. Martinez leads the team with a .529 batting average. McNerney, a returning Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection, is batting .500 with a team-best 11 RBIs.

Newport Harbor also has 61 stolen bases already, with McNerney leading the way with 13.

“They’re learning my style and they’re starting to execute,” said Hunter, who thanked Athletic Director Mike Zimmerman and Principal Sean Boulton for their support. “We’re going to steal bases, we’re going to play small-ball. We’re going to make plays, and make teams make better plays. That kid Sammy Del Toro has matured. Those kids worked so hard with us over the summer. It’s been one year technically that we’ve been together, and statistically they’re getting it. We’re stealing the bases we’re supposed to, putting ourselves in a better offensive position.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group. They’re not Newport soft, they’re Newport strong, and that’s a fact. These kids can play some softball. To come off a 2-23 season, turn it around, come back out here and be 5-1 at this point? Come on. I tell you, I couldn’t be more proud of these kids.”

Newport Harbor plays at Estancia on Tuesday. Sunset League action doesn’t begin until April 12 at Fountain Valley, but the Sailors are thinking about it. They haven’t won a league game in three years.

“Last year we just went into league knowing that we were going to lose all the games,” Del Toro said. “But I think we’re starting to get more confidence, so that’s good.”

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Nonleague

Newport Harbor 6, Western 4

SCORE BY INNINGS

Western 201 000 1 — 4 7 1

Newport 001 104 x — 6 11 2

Hartman and Ramirez; Del Toro and De La Rosa. W – Del Toro, 5-1. L – Hartman. 2B – M. Nester (W) 2, Tapia (W).