Junior Varsity Baseball: Tars slam rival Sea Kings

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - When the Newport Harbor High junior varsity

baseball team came to Corona del Mar Saturday, the Back Bay rivalry

didn’t seem to motivate the Sailors as much as a different source of

power. The Tars were fueled by motivation, which they received from an

8-6 victory over host Irvine in eight innings Monday. The momentum kept

Newport on course as the Sailors recorded their third win in four games

with an 8-3 victory over their rivals, the Sea Kings.

“It seems like we’re finishing out on a positive note,” Tars Coach

John Christensen said.

Newport Harbor sophomore Daniel Kretschmar provided some sweet music

with his grand slam over the left field fence in the third inning. He

finished 3 for 4, including the slam, two doubles and a fielder’s choice.

“This is probably our best game this season,” said Kretschmar, who

jokingly credited Sobe and Snickers as his source of strength.

On a more serious note, he said, “If it wasn’t for Travis Moore

pulling through, we wouldn’t have won (against CdM). He had a big hit

against Irvine.”

In the eighth inning against the Vaqueros Monday, junior Shane Glenn

led off with a triple and Moore, the catcher, followed with a clutch

infield single. Nick Sacco knocked them both in his base hit. And on

defense, Moore came up with a big play when he gunned down a would-be

stealer at second to end the game.

“That was just a total team effort,” said Christensen.

The Sailors (8-12) have had to unite this season, especially.

Christensen said they lost six starters from last season as three

transferred to other schools and others just lost interest in the

program. Also, of Newport’s 12 losses, six have been by one-run deficits.

But, as Christensen said, the Tars are ending the season on a positive

note.

The Sea Kings (9-9), on the other hand, have hit a skid. Including its

loss to its rival, Corona has lost five in a row as errors and a loss of

the fundamentals have been their demise, Sea Kings Coach Joel Desguin

said.

“(The Sailors) put the ball in play and we just couldn’t make the

plays,” he said. “When you lose five in a row, it’s just gets tough.”

Desguin also said he and his Sea Kings will make the best of their

last two games which includes a home-and-home series with Pacific Coast

League rival Costa Mesa.