Surf and Sport wins postseason opener

Mike Sciacca

Laguna Surf and Sport opened postseason play in fine fashion last

weekend as it defeated the Northwood Marlins, 4-3, in opening round play

of the 2002 District 55 Tournament of Champions at Mission Viejo.

Surf and Sport saved its best for last as they came back from two runs

down in the final inning to pull out the win.

Christian Bosworth and John Wes Robinson began the bottom of the sixth

inning rally with consecutive doubles, Robinson’s scoring Bosworth to

narrow the gap to one run.

Shawn Snyder followed his teammates by blasting a triple to center

field to score Robinson and tie the game. On the play, Northwood was

guilty of a throwing error to third base, allowing Snyder to score the

winning run.

The pitching of Michael Tachovsky, combined with great defensive play,

allowed Surf and Sport to limit the Marlins to three runs.

Tachovsky struck out five and also fielded five outs during the game.

Significant defensive stops included a tag out of a Northwood runner

by second baseman Jaime Melchor in the third inning; the play of Robinson

at third base, Caine Fair at shortstop and Snyder; and a big throw from

right fielder Alex Garakian to Robinson at third base to nail a Marlins

baserunner for the third out in the fifth inning.

Northwood had taken an early lead on an RBI double by pitcher Joey

Dilia, but Surf and Sport retaliated in the bottom of the first inning

when Dalton Sype doubled and scored on Bosworth’s RBI single.

Run-scoring singles by Nate Jeffries and Andrew Rutland gave Northwood

a 3-1 edge in the third inning.

Matt Miller had a double and Sype’s second hit of the day went for a

single to add to Surf and Sport’s offensive output.