Baseball: Newport falls just short

Tony Altobelli

NEWPORT BEACH - Runs in the early innings are just as important as

runs in the later innings, which Newport Harbor High’s baseball team

found out Wednesday against visiting Aliso Niguel.

The Sailors missed early opportunities to score and that proved costly in

their 14-11 Sea View League loss to the Wolverines.

“Up to this point, we’ve been a team that has hit well with runners in

scoring position,” Coach Jim Kiefer said. “Today we weren’t able to get

the big hit early when we needed it.”

After falling behind, 9-0, the Sailors (1-7, 2-10) stormed back, thanks

to some spotty Wolverines’ pitching and a grand slam to left field from

Sean Rorden, capping a seven-run fifth inning.

Rorden’s blast followed RBI singles by Justin Jacobs, Garrett Brant and

Chris Ward. Those three scored ahead of Rorden on the four-bagger.

“The ball carries well out here,” Keifer said. “He got just enough to get

it out of here.”

Aliso Niguel (7-6, 4-4) didn’t fold all the way, however. The Wolverines

added a run in the sixth inning and four in the seventh to build a

seven-run cushion.

The Sailors made it close. Following walks by Rorden and Miguel Sandoval

as well as a single by Donovan Wong, Nick Langsdorf clubbed a two-out

grand slam of his own to center field, cutting the lead to, 14-11.

Aliso, despite allowing two grand slams, nine hits and 10 walks, managed

to retire the next Newport batter and the game was over.

It was the Wolverines who started the game with the long ball.

Chris Fielder hit a solo shot to left in the first inning and Sean Koch

followed with a two-run blast to left in the second, helping the

Wolverines jump out to a 4-0 lead.

Newport had runners on second and third with less than two outs in the

second and third innings, but could not score.

“I think the difference was early execution,” Kiefer said. “They were

able to move the runners over and get the key hit, while we came up short

in that department.”

Aliso used a walk, a hit batter and four doubles to score five runs in

the fifth inning, making it, 9-0, before Newport’s comeback.

Rorden had a double, grand slam and two runs scored to pace the Sailors’

attack. Wong also had two hits, while Langsdorf, and Sandoval each scored

twice.

“We fell behind big and that forced us to try to rally big,” Kiefer said.

“That’s not our style of baseball. We can’t play like that and expect to

be successful.”

Jeremy Burchett had three hits, including two doubles, a run scored and

five RBIs to lead the Wolverines. Koch had three RBIs, while Tanos added

two.

Newport will continue Sea View League action Friday at home against

Irvine, beginning at 3 p.m.

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Aliso Niguel 14, Newport Harbor 11

Aliso Viejo 130 051 4 - 14 17 1 Newport 000 070 4 - 11 9 0

Difley, Potter (5), Koch (7) and Serocke; Forsythe, Rorden (3), Ward (5),

Jacobs (6) and Brant. W - Difley. L - Forsythe. 2B - Pitchford (AN),

Burchett (AN) 2, Tanos (AN), Koch (AN), Wyly (AN) Rorden (NH). HR -

Fielder (AN), Koch (AN), Rorden (NH), Langsdorf (NH).