Prep baseball: CdM comes up big over Artists

CORONA DEL MAR - Corona del Mar High baseball coach John Emme said

his team is back in the Pacific Coast League playoff hunt after an

impressive 6-2 victory over visiting Laguna Beach Thursday.

“This week was make or break for us,” Emme said. “If we had dropped

one or two games this week we would have been out of the playoff hunt. We

had two must-wins, and we got them.”

CdM junior left-hander Nick Rhodes (1-4) earned his first pitching

victory of the season with a complete game that came with four

strikeouts, two walks and six hits.

Sophomore Josh Bradbury went 2 for 3 with one RBI, while junior

catcher Nick Karpe (pronounced Kar-pay) added a double and an RBI for the

Sea Kings (4-7, 2-3 in the PCL).

CdM led from start to finish, after building a 3-0 lead in the first

inning. Freshman Wess Presson led off with a single and senior Billy

Eagle walked, setting the table for Bradbury, who had an RBI single.

Karpe and Keith Long also picked up an RBI each in the first frame.

Laguna Beach dropped to 8-4, 3-2.

“For a young team to respond like this is outstanding,” Emme said. “We

turned two double plays, the second one which ended the game. A 6-4-3,

Long to (Jeritt) Thayer to Blake Contant. Our defense is doing what I

expected. We played errorless ball, and that is due to our pitchers. That

game had us coming together.”

CdM will open the Pride of the Coast Tournament, hosting Back Bay

rival Newport Harbor Saturday at 11 a.m.

PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE

Corona del Mar 6, Laguna Beach 2

Laguna Beach 000 001 1 - 2 6 2

Corona del Mar 301 020 x - 6 8 0

Youngstead, Beck (4) and Baumer; Rhodes and Karpe. W - Rhodes, 1-4. L

- Youngstead. 2B - Karpe (CdM). HR - Merz (LB).