Baseball: Sailors hold on for wild win

IRVINE - The offense came to life for the Newport Harbor High

baseball team in Monday’s 13-11 Sea View League win over host Woodbridge

at Windrow Park.

The Sailors (4-3, 1-2 in league) jumped out to a 9-2 lead, then held

their breath as the Warriors (3-4, 0-2) closed to within one run.

“Our guys did a good job of getting the big hits with runners in

scoring position off of quality pitching,” Newport Harbor Coach Jim

Kiefer said. “That was our battle cry today. From there, we managed to

hang on and finish it out.”

Jon Vandersloot sparked Newport’s offense with a 4-for-4 performance,

including two doubles and six RBIs. Harbor catcher Garrett Brant went 3

for 4 with three RBIs.

The Sailors opened the game with a bang, scoring five runs in the

first inning. Vandersloot’s bases-loaded single, combined with a

Woodbridge error, helped produce three of the Sailors’ first-inning runs.

Newport Harbor led, 11-6, before the Warriors scored four unearned

runs in the sixth inning to close the gap.

Sailors closer Chris Ward entered in the seventh inning and, despite

putting the tying runs on base, managed to strike out the Warriors’ No. 3

hitter to end the game.

Harbor centerfielder Donovan Wong reached base four times, scored four

runs and made a long, running catch of a deep fly ball to right-center in

the seventh inning.

“We went out there knowing a win was important for us,” Kiefer said.

“We haven’t played too well with a lead in the past, but we managed to

pull this one out.”

Newport will host Aliso Niguel on Friday at 3:15 p.m. “(The

Wolverines) are a good team with a bunch of returning players,” Kiefer

said. “I picked them to be the team to beat for the league title, so

we’re going to have our hands full.”

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Newport Harbor 13, Woodbridge 11

Newport Harbor 501 302 2 - 13 10 4

Woodbridge 002 314 1 - 11 12 1

Forsythe, Brown (4), Ward (7) and Brant; Kusera, Miller (3), Peck (4),

Beck (6) and Martinez. W - Brown, 2-0. L - Kusera. Sv - Ward, 2. 2B -

Brant (NH), Ward (NH), Vandersloot (NH) 2, Clark (W) 2, Beck (W) 2,

Carlson (W).