Prep baseball: CdM plays to its level: PCL’s best

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - Undefeated in the Pacific Coast League, ranked No.

10 in Orange County and CIF Southern Section Division IV, so came the

challenge for the Corona del Mar High baseball team. The Sea Kings had

the tricky task of playing to its level.

CdM (9-3, 6-0 in league) didn’t start out like a first-place team, but

it sure ended as a top notch squad Tuesday. Junior Derek Lewis smacked a

two-run homer to break a 3-3 tie in the fifth inning and seniors Andrew

Johns and Wes Hockinson pounded a home run each in the sixth inning to

lead the Sea Kings to an 8-4 PCL victory over visiting Laguna Beach.

CdM senior righthanded pitcher Eric Snell, who relieved sophomore Nick

Rhodes, went three innings, allowing three hits and one run to earn his

third victory of the season with no losses.

“I felt like we came out a little flat,” Sea Kings’ Coach John Emme

said. “Laguna Beach always plays us well. In the second half of the game,

our bats woke and we had a good approach at the plate. But, I was

concerned early, definitely.”

The Sea Kings built a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third. With two

outs and runners on the corners, Snell handled a 1-2 pitch and singled in

senior Dave Knecht, who had walked. Johns, who went 3 for 4 with 2 RBIs,

then singled in junior Billy Eagle, who had also walked. Hockinson

cracked a grounder to third base and beat the throw to first which loaded

the bases. Lewis walked to score Snell.

The Artists (2-4, 5-7), however answered with three runs, one

unearned, on four hits. With Laguna Beach runners on the corners,

freshman leftfielder Danny Whittaker ended the Artist’s rally when he

slid to his knees, grabbing Jimmy Bobst’s would-be single.

“Different guys are winning baseball games for us,” Emme said. “That’s

what you have to do. You can’t rely on one guy in baseball ... That’s

what’s gotten us here.”

In the fifth inning with one out, Lewis thumped a 2-2 pitch for his

second homer of the season, a two-run shot over centerfield, scoring

Johns, who had doubled.

The Sea Kings extended their lead in the sixth when Johns picked up

his first home run of the season, a two-run blast just inside the left

field line, bringing in Snell, who singled.

Hockinson completed the back-to-back home run sequence as he sent the

ball deep past the left center field fence for an 8-3 lead.

With two outs, Laguna Beach’s John Verdugo, who hit a homer in the

first meeting of the two teams, pounded a 1-2 pitch over the center field

fence to close out the scoring.

CdM won that first encounter, 13-9, as the Sea Kings belted five home

runs and the Artists got a hold of two. Friday at 3:15 they meet again,

at Laguna Beach.

“We get to go to the cozy confines of their field,” Emme said. “I’m

sure some balls will be flying out for both sides on Friday.”

Said Johns, “We’re coming together as a team and that’s the most

important thing for us to do. We were a little asleep at the beginning.

But, our coach told us, ‘If you’re going to be in first place you have to

act like it. You have to go out and earn it.’ “PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 8, Laguna Beach 4

Laguna Beach 000 300 1 - 4 7 1

Corona del Mar 003 023 x - 8 13 1

Merz, Dy-Buncio (5), Youngstead (6) and Baumer; Rhodes, Snell (5) and

McKeever. W - Snell, 3-0. L - Merz, 3-1. 2B - Bobst (LB), Merz (LB), Long

(CdM), Johns (CdM). HR - Verdugo (LB), Lewis (CdM), Johns (CdM),

Hockinson (CdM).