Little League: Mariners flip on rally caps

Steve Virgen

NEWPORT BEACH - When first place is on the line, don’t

underestimate the Mariners. The Newport Beach Little League Majors

Division team answered a 5-0 deficit and rallied for a 7-5 win over the

Yankees at Lincoln Elementary Saturday.

The Yankees (8-7 in the American division) scored five runs in the

first inning, appearing to be in the driver’s seat. But, the Mariners

(9-6) crashed the party with a two-run second and a four-run third. For

good measure, the M’s picked up another run in the fifth.

“It was a game for first place in our (American) division,” said

winning manager Brian Freeman. “We battled back. We never quit, never

gave up. I’m very proud of them.”

The first-place standing for the Mariners was short-lived, however,

because the Reds took care of the Red Sox later on in the day as there

are two games remaining before the playoffs. Nevertheless, the contest

had a huge bearing on the standings and the Yankees fulfilled the hype

with their five-run first inning.

The Yankees’ Patrick Marin-Finn pounded a two-run single that scored

Zack Von Berg, who singled, and Vinnie Saint John Jr., who walked. Andy

Morrow later clubbed for a two-run base hit, scoring Marin-Finn and

Patrick Brennan, who singled. The batting order went around and leadoff

hitter, Saint John Jr., cracked a hit to score Taylor Fanning.

The Mariners’ pitching and defense then held the Yankees scoreless. It

didn’t help that the Yanks were playing three short of their usual

12-player squad. After Brennan hit his base hit, he started to feel the

effects of the stomach flu and was pulled out of the game. Robbie Lusk,

the usual leadoff batter, is out with a broken collarbone and Jack

Lansford missed because of other plans.

“They really gave everything they had,” Coach Vinnie Saint John said

of his Yankees.

The Mariners also left it all on the field and earned their first lead

of the game with their four-run third, which included four hits. Eric

Rask blasted a sharp grounder to earn an RBI, scoring Tommy Thomas who

singled. Then, with the bases loaded Bobby Manning sent fans to their

feet when he tied the game with his two-run base hit. Nicolas

Russo-Larsson grounded into a fielder’s choice which brought in Nick

Freeman who reached on an error.

Freeman pitched a perfect third inning with three straight strikeouts.

Tom Solis worked the final three innings allowing just three hits and no

runs, capping his performance with a perfect sixth when he induced fly

balls caught in the outfield. His 35-pitch outing included two

strikeouts, no walks and three groundouts.

NEWPORT BEACH LITTLE LEAGUE

Majors Division

American Division

The Mariners

1 Will Harrison

24 Devin Kelly

25 Bobby Manning

13 Eric Rask

7 Kevin Rask

6 Nick Freeman

2 Michael Bear

12 Jason Erpinar 8 Bryce Donovan

15 Nicolas Russo-Larsson

5 Tom Solis

26 Tommy Thomas

Manager: Brian Freeman

Coaches: Dennis Bear and Howard Kelly

The Yankees

2 Vinnie Saint John Jr.

1 Zack Von Berg

19 Kyle Legrand

15 Patrick Marin-Finn

3 Richie Sorenson

25 Patrick Brennan

12 Will Wilkerson

27 Austin Raiger

53 Andy Morrow

8 Taylor Fanning

5 Robbie Lusk

4 Jack Lansford

Manager: Paul Von Berg

Coaches: Gary Legrand and Vinnie St. John