Baseball: Sea Kings hammer Northwood

Tony Altobelli

CORONA DEL MAR - It was smooth sailing for Nick Rhodes and the rest

of the Corona del Mar High baseball team in Tuesday’s 11-1 Pacific Coast

League win over visiting Northwood.

The Sea Kings’ offense helped Rhodes’ cause with nine runs in the

first two innings, giving the sophomore left-hander more than enough

breathing room.

Rhodes allowed only one run on four hits through five innings for CdM

(5-3, 2-0 in league). He walked only one, struck out three and forced the

Timberwolves (0-2 in league) into six ground outs.

“Nick works down and forces batters to hit his pitch,” CdM Coach John

Emme said of Rhodes. “In 22 innings, he’s walked only three guys. Not bad

for a sophomore.”

Senior Wes Hockinson led the CdM offense with a two-out, three-run

double in the first inning and added an RBI single in the second.

“He’s been coming up with big hits all season long for us,” Emme said.

“He’s been consistently over .400 all year long and he’s had a lot of

opportunities to hit with runners on base.”

Sophomore Keith Long went 2 for 3 with two runs scored, while senior

Jason Savopolus made the most of his first-ever varsity hit, a two-run

home run in the fifth inning that ended the game by way of the mercy

rule.

“Right now, we’re playing well in all phases of the game,” Emme said.

“Our defense is playing very well and we’ve had our share of big

offensive punch from various players. It’s fun to watch.”

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 11, Northwood 1

Northwood 100 00 - 1 4 1

Corona del Mar 360 02 - 11 8 0

Gray, Lucas (3) and Gragnano; Rhodes and McKeever. W - Rhodes, 2-0. L

- Gray, 0-1. 2B - Hockinson (CdM), Eagle (CdM). HR - Lucas (N), Savopolus

(CdM).