Prep baseball: Tars’ frustrations mount

IRVINE - Newport Harbor High baseball coach Jim Kiefer said

Thursday’s 7-4 Sea View League loss to Woodbridge at Windrow Park

typified the frustrating campaign in which the Sailors seemingly can’t

buy a break.

“I don’t have an answer right now and it’s frustrating,” said Kiefer,

whose team continues to be snake bit.

Thursday, Newport starting pitcher Joel Brown was the primary victim,

as only two or three of the 10 hits he allowed were hit hard, according

to Kiefer.

“Joel really pitched well, but we’re a snake-bit team right now,”

Kiefer said.

After Woodbridge took a 3-0 lead, Donovan Wong walked, stole

second and scored on a two-out double by Lu Castillo. Cameron Pemstein

followed with an RBI single.

With Woodbridge leading, 4-2, the Sailors scored twice in the sixth to

tie the game.

Wong walked to start the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice

bunt by Cody Forsythe. Chris Ward reached on an error and Castillo was

hit by a pitch to load the bases, but Woodbridge induced a popup for the

second out.

Junior Mike Jones, however, made sure the opportunity wasn’t wasted as

he produced a two-run single to forge the deadlock.

Woodbridge, however, strung together four hits and a hit batter to

score the deciding runs in the sixth.

Alan Lane went 2 for 3 to pace a five-hit attack for Harbor (5-10,

2-10 in league).

Woodbridge improved to 3-7 against Sea View competition.

The Tars will host Mission Viejo Saturday at 11 a.m. in the first

round of the Pride of the Coast Tournament.

“Our big thing right now is, we just need to get on some type of a

roll,” Kiefer said.

SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Woodbridge 7, Newport Harbor 4

Newport Harbor 000 202 0 - 4 5 2

Woodbridge 102 103 x - 7 11 2 Brown, Ward (6) and Brant; Beck and Martinez. W - Beck. L - Brown,

3-3. 2B - Castillo (NH), Beck (W), Rye (W), Clark (W), Martinez (W).