NHBA Mustang All-Stars roll to sectional tournament

Steve Virgen

“Who wants to go on to sectionals,” Newport Harbor Baseball

Association Coach Alex Deyan asked the Mustang A All-Stars before

Tuesday’s game. The NHBA All-Stars answered their coach and responded

from Sunday’s heartbreaking 15-14 loss to Dana Point with a 13-1

victory over Irvine, in 3 1/2 innings at Harvard Park.

Newport Harbor advances to the Mustang Section Tournament after

finishing second in the District 2 All-Star Tournament. NHBA will be

known as District 2 Blue, while Dana Point will be District 2 Red.

Newport will face La Mirada at Placentia Sports Park Friday at 6 p.m.

“We wanted to make sure they were motivated,” NHBA Manager Rich

Hogan said of his All-Stars. “We were hoping they would come out

strong after that tough loss (Sunday). And, they obviously did that.

As usual, they all came to play.”

From the outset, the NHBA All-Stars displayed their short-term

memory and took control of Irvine. NHBA pitcher Justin Todd held

Irvine scoreless in the first inning, thanks to one strikeout and two

unassisted putouts by first baseman Ryan Albert.

Then, Newport scored six runs in bottom of the first. Austin

Deyan, NHBA’s starting shortstop, led off with a single to the

left-field corner. After a flyout, Blake Davey, doubled to the gap in

left center to score Deyan. Albert followed, completing the

back-to-back double sequence with a shot that landed just in front of

the fence in left field. That scored Davey.

Todd also earned an RBI with a bloop single to left. Alex Maddox

kept the NHBA bats hot with an RBI double to left. Jacob McAnn

collected an RBI with a sacrifice flyl to left to round out the

scoring in the inning.

Newport put the game out of reach by scoring seven runs in the

third.

“The best thing about (the NHBA All-Stars) is they support each

other and they truly believe in themselves,” Hogan said. “As a coach,

you can’t ask for any more than that.”

Hogan was also impressed with Todd’s effort. Todd, who was hit by

a pitch that injured his right shoulder blade Sunday, injured his

ankle in the third inning. His foul ball ricocheted off his ankle. He

fell to the ground in pain.

However, Todd shook off the injury and smacked a 2-2 pitch to the

left-field fence. It could have been a double, but because Todd was

limping he could only make it to first.

Todd finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. He

pitched four innings, recording four strikeouts and allowing four

hits and one run on 61 pitches.

Albert also had two doubles, and two RBIs.