Pony Baseball: Cardinals come up in last inning

Steve Virgen

CORONA DEL MAR - The battle for first place in the Corona del Mar

Pony League came down to the final inning, which began with a 5-5 tie

between the Cardinals and the Mets.

The power of the fundamentals reigned supreme Saturday at Eastbluff

Park.

With opportune bunts and aggressive base-running, the Cardinals scored

four runs in the top of the seventh and completed a fantastic double play

in the bottom of the frame en route to a 9-5 win over the Mets.

Jamie Kline got the Cardinals started in the seventh inning when he

led off with a base hit. He advanced to second on a grounder which set

the stage for Chase Whitaker. Whitaker, No. 8 in the lineup, laid a sweet

bunt which resulted in an infield error and scored Kline for the go-ahead

run.

J.R. Saroyan also bunted and that chip shot led to another Mets’

infield error which scored Whitaker. Then, with two outs, lead-off hitter

John Angelo smashed a double to right field, bringing in Saroyan. And

Ryan Lance’s RBI single scored Angelo to seemingly put the game out of

reach. Ryan Lance went 3 for 4.

“Everybody contributed,” said Cardinals Manager Jim Kline. “Everybody

played hard to the end and that’s what got us the win.”

The Cardinals ended hopes of a Mets rally behind the play of pitcher

Tyler Lance. He pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts and began

the last inning giving up his only walk. But, he quickly made up for it

when he turned two. He snagged a grounder, hurled it to second where the

shortstop, his younger brother, Ryan Lance then threw to Cliff Taylor at

first for the double play.

Tyler Lance then induced another grounder, this time to Ryan Lance for

the final out.

The Mets also received a strong pitching performance from Wess Presson

who also delivered a complete game. His came with 13 strikeouts and four

walks.

In the bottom of the third, Presson slammed the only home run of the

game. With two outs, he blasted a two-run shot over left center field to

score Braden Ross, who reached on an error. The runs tied the game, 4-4.

The Mets went up, 5-4, in the fourth when Blake Mathews pounded a base

hit to right field, causing an error in the outfield, which allowed

Blaine Gribble, who was hit by the pitch, to score.

Ryan Lane tied the game in the fifth with an RBI single, scoring

Angelo, who cracked a base hit to reach.

CORONA DEL MAR

Pony Division Baseball

The Cardinals

2 John Angelo

7 Ryan Lance

8 Cliff Taylor

12 Tyler Lance

9 Andrew Dialynas

1 Sean Amoroso

10 Jamie Kline

4 Chase Whitaker

11 J.R. Saroyan

5 Vladimir Vakulenko

3 Peter Tucci

Manager: Jim Kline

Coach: Randy Lance

The Mets

11 Wes Presson

25 Blake Allred

4 Matt Silva

53 Blaine Gribble

45 Blake Mathews

42 Tom Money

29 Steve Hinton

9 Roger Ramillion

51 Josh Miller

21 Val Ivanitski

7 Braden Ross

24 Brian Kornswiet

Manager: Kevin Quick

Coach: Ralph Simmons