Little Lague: Newport All-Stars hold on

Joseph Boo

LAGUNA NIGUEL - The way the Newport Beach Little League 9-10 “A”

All-Star baseball team hit on Saturday, it didn’t need a lot of help from

its opponent. But then, a little help doesn’t hurt either.

Mission Viejo “A” gave up three unearned runs en route to an 8-6 NBLL

victory in the first round of the District 55 All-Star playoffs at

Chaparrosa Park.

But the handouts weren’t the only reason why NBLL won. It got clutch hits

and forced Mission Viejo to play from behind for most of the game.

“These kids played a heck of a game,” NBLL manager Van Holland said. “I’m

real proud of how they played.”

His son, Kevin Holland, delivered a big hit in the top of the third

inning. A sharp two-run double which drove in Thomas Dialynas, who

reached on a single, and Carlo Valdes, who was walked. That double gave

NBLL a 5-4 lead, one it would never lose.

NBLL extended its lead to 7-4 in the fourth, courtesy of a major gift

from Mission Viejo. After Connor Whelan doubled, Blaine Nielson reached

base on an error by the third baseman. On the next play, Mission Viejo’s

catcher threw the ball away, allowing one run to score.

“Our bats were loud, we got key hits, and we played real heads-up

baseball,” Holland said.

On the same play, Mission Viejo’s second baseman couldn’t field the ball

and that allowed Nielson to score. The inning ended when Mission Viejo

cut down a Newport runner at third, but the runs counted.

Those two runs proved to be the difference, as Mission Viejo scored twice

off a double in the fifth to cut NBLL’s lead to 8-6.

Before Mission Viejo’s two runs, Garett Amoroso singled and scored in the

fifth to extend NBLL’s lead to 8-4. NBLL could have tacked on more runs

in the sixth, but it had a runner cut down at the plate.

NBLL relief pitcher Dialynas forced Mission Viejo to go down meekly in

its last at-bat to preserve his team’s victory. He only gave up two runs

in three innings, after Nielson pitched the first three for NBLL.

Amoroso had two RBI singles in the game. His first one in the second

inning scored Holland, who reached on an error. That tied the game, 3-3.

NBLL took a 2-0 lead in the first as a double by Dialynas scored Whalen

and Nielson. But Mission Viejo responded with with three unearned runs to

take a 3-2 lead, the only time it led in the game.