Baseball: Goliath slays David

Richard Dunn

LOS ALAMITOS - As Newport Harbor Baseball Association Bronco

All-Star Manager Ron D’Cruz encouraged his players during a postgame

powwow in the dugout after an opening-round loss, one of the players

spoke up and summed up the game.

“Those guys are big,” the NHBA All-Star said to no one in particular,

with a tone in his voice that sounded like a bear was coming in the

forest.

While La Mirada’s ‘A’ team might have size and talent, Newport

Harbor’s ‘B’ squad of all 11-year-olds in the District 3 All-Star

Tournament never gave an inch in seven innings.

“In my heart of hearts, I thought we’d get mercied,” D’Cruz said after

La Mirada’s 9-1 victory Wednesday over Newport Harbor at the former Los

Alamitos Naval Base.

Last month in the Los Alamitos Invitational, La Mirada defeated the

Newport Harbor ‘A’ team in a mercy-rule decision, and D’Cruz was quick to

point that out to his still-spirited players, who play again Sunday at 10

a.m. in the loser’s bracket of the double-elimination tournament. An

opponent will be determined Saturday.

“I was real proud of them,” D’Cruz said of his players.

Four La Mirada pitchers combined for a one-hitter, and Kyle Rohan

scored Newport Harbor’s only run in the second inning without the benefit

of a hit. Rohan reached base on an error, stole second base and kept on

coming after a wild throw to score on the play.

When D’Cruz mentioned La Mirada’s final pitcher, Justin Pooler, to his

players in the dugout, he said, “Have you guys seen anybody faster?”

What followed was a collective shaking of the heads, all going side to

side.

La Mirada starter AJ Rodriguez and relievers James Hernandez, Zach

Cruz and Pooler combined for eight strikeouts and two walks, including

the seventh inning when Pooler struck out the side.

La Mirada scored in every inning, including three runs in the first

and two in the sixth on Matt Estrada’s two-run home run to left field.

Newport Harbor third baseman Troy Seeber made several fine plays

defensively, while shortstop RJ D’Cruz, second baseman Peter Hapke and

first baseman Jon Herdman pitched in with the leather.

Brock Schuler, John Swift and D’Cruz handled the pitching for Newport

Harbor, with Schuler, the starter, yielding no walks in three innings.

Swift gave up only hit in two innings, while D’Cruz retired three batters

in order in the sixth, after Estrada’s home run.