Little League baseball: Diamondbacks all smiles

Barry Faulkner

HUNTINGTON BEACH - First the Costa Mesa National Little League

Minor B Diamondbacks have fun while they play. Then, they just play.

Responding well to Manager Andy Pierce’s philosophy that “they give me

an hour and a half of practicing baseball and I give them a half hour of

play time,” the Diamondbacks (ages 8-9) have reached previously uncharted

territory for any CMNLL team prior to this season.

After Saturday’s 14-3 mercy-rule-shortened triumph over the Robinwood

Mets in the second round of the District 62 Tournament of Champions at

Wardlow Park, the Diamondbacks join this year’s Majors Marlins as the

league’s only teams to win two games in the annual postseason challenge.

The event features competition against the top regular-season teams from

leagues in Costa Mesa, Westminster, Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley.

Saturday’s win propelled the Diamondbacks into tonight’s 5 o’clock

clash, at Wardlow Park, with the Huntington Valley Marlins for the

championship of Area 2. Tonight’s winner will then meet the Area 1

champion for the District 62 Tournament of Champions crown Wednesday at 5

p.m.

But winning is a mere byproduct of what Pierce believes Little

League is all about.

“Our coaches don’t yell,” said Pierce, who will give way to assistant

coach Jim Rice, who becomes acting manager while Pierce follows his

daughter at the Volleyball Festival in Davis this week.

“We try to teach them to play baseball and to stay awake. But the main

thing is, we want to make it fun for the kids. If they’re not smiling,

we’re not doing our job.”

Pierce’s “play time” most often includes baseball activities, such as

three flies up, running the bases, extra hitting practice or baserunning

games.

The result is a team that can make routine plays, put the ball in play

offensively, and run the bases with abandon.

The Diamondbacks, who won the first- and second-half CMNLL titles and

are now 18-4, displayed all those strengths against Robinwood.

All 12 Diamondbacks reached base, with the first three hitters, Corey

Dryden, Jeremy Jeranko and Jesse Fox, combining to score eight runs in

four innings.

Dryden had an RBI single and was robbed of another hit when his drive

to center field was turned into a force out at second base. He scored

three runs.

Jeranko had an RBI single and scored twice, while Fox, nicknamed

“Turbo” for the speed he unleashes aggressively on the bases, walked

three times, stole two bases, including home, and scored three times.

Shortstop Mike Pierce belted a three-run home run, his fourth of the

season, over the left-field fence to cap a seven-run second inning.

Justin Bosecker walked, stole two bases and scored a run, while

pitcher Brian Mauer walked, scored a run and drove in a run with another

would-be single that turned into an 8-6 fielder’s choice.

Chris Shelton drove in a run with a groundout, while Victor Lozoya (a

walk and two runs), Daniel Derieg (one run), Kurtis Dryden (two walks),

Austin Rice (one walk) and Chase Harrison (one walk) added to the

D-backs’ stream of baserunners.

Pierce went the distance on the mound, striking out four and allowing

just three hits, a trio of third-inning singles that resulted in the

Mets’ only earned run.

Corey Dryden scored on a wild pitch and Fox stole home in the first

inning to help the Diamondbacks overcome the Mets’ only lead.

Then, after holding the Mets scoreless in the second, Costa Mesa

erupted for seven runs, with Pierce’s dinger the big blow.

Second baseman Corey Dryden, Pierce, Mauer and catcher Harrison

anchored the solid defensive effort up the middle for the winners.