Baseball: Nationals edge Americans to win Mayor’s Cup

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - It may have been Mayor’s Cup No. 5 in terms of the

calendar, but it will go down as the No. 1 three-game tournament in Costa

Mesa Little League history.

The Costa Mesa National Little League used the big bat of P.J.

Errington as well as stellar defensive work to hold of the Costa Mesa

American Little League, 4-2, in the tournament’s first-ever Game 3

Saturday at Costa Mesa High.

Errington had two home runs and drove in all for Nationals’ runs, but

according to CMNLL Manager Bill Redding, that was just one element of the

team’s success.

“It’s nice to hit home runs all the time, but baseball is won with

pitching and defense,” Redding said. “The entire team contributed to this

win. They all came through for us when we needed them.”

On the Americans’ side, they managed to exceed the expectations of

many with the strong three-game effort, pushing the Nationals all the way

to the end.

“A lot of people around the area didn’t give us much of a chance, but

we managed to play extremely well when we needed to,” CMALL Manager Ted

Spoulos said. “I’m extremely proud of the way our boys battled,

especially against such strong team like the Nationals. I couldn’t be

more pleased.”

Errington started right away, clubbing his first home run in the

game’s first at-bat, giving the Nationals the early momentum.

After CMALL was retired in the bottom of the first, the Nationals

responded again. Caleb Burgess reached on a two-base error and Starnes

Arnold reached on a walk. With two outs and two runners on base,

Errington stepped up and clubbed his second home run of the game, scoring

Burgess and Arnold ahead of him.

“If we make that first play, we’re out of the inning and P.J. doesn’t

even bat,” Spoulos said. “We gave the other team an extra opportunity and

they took it.”

The Americans got on the scoreboard in the second inning when C.J.

Roum singled to right, went to second, then third on walks by Adrian

Armenta and Thomas Kosnosky and scored on an RBI walk by Cody Spoulos.

The Nationals managed to battle out of the inning, thanks to a diving

catch by third baseman Vinnie Valdez.

CMALL second baseman Skylar Crane returned the defensive favor in the

top of the third. With runners on second and third, Crane showed nice

range on a grounder up the middle, snagged the grounder and threw the

runner out, saving two runs for his team.

The Americans built on their momentum and scored again in the third

inning. Kyle Thorsness singled to center, went to second on a wild pitch,

advanced to third on a fly ball by Nick Peterson and scored on a two-out

single to left by Cody Waldron.

The Nationals’ pitching duo of Michael McDaniels and Vinnie Valdez

cooled off the Americans from there, until the fifth inning, when CMALL

had the bases loaded, one out and the heart of its batting order coming

to the plate.

“I went out to ask Vinnie if he was all right and he said to be that

he could do it,” Redding said. “When a kid says that, you’ve got to give

him the opportunity.”

Valdez took the opportunity and proceeded to strike out the next two

batters, ending the threat with a little fist pump.

“Vinnie is going to be one of those great baseball players,” Redding

said. “He’s something special.”

Despite the early runs, CMALL pitcher Adrian Armenta managed to keep

the game close and reliever Nick Shafer did a great job as well, holding

the Nationals scoreless for the final four innings, while allowing only

two hits.

“It was nice to see Nick come in and get the job done,” Ted Spoulos

said. “That picked us up a little bit.”

Jeremy Aguinaga gave the Americans one last ray of hope with a one-out

double to right.

The Nationals relieved Valdez with Austin Elliott, who came in, threw

six pitches and struck out the final two batters in convincing fashion.

“I’ve been coaching Austin for three years,” Redding said. “He’s the

type of kid who wakes up at 6:30 in the morning and puts on his baseball

uniform. He’s a great young man and it was nice to see him end the game

that way.”