Marvelous season for the NHBA Mustangs

Bryce Alderton

The Newport Harbor Baseball Association Mustang 9- and 10-year-old

A All-Star team made history this season.

According to NHBA officials, the Mustang A team is only the second

NHBA team in history to reach the West Zone Regional Pony Baseball

Tournament.

NHBA’s Bronco All-Star team (11- and 12-year-olds) made it to the

regional tournament in 2000, losing their first two games.

But even though this year’s Mustang A team lost its first two

games in the double-elimination tournament at Colton Pony Baseball

Field, Manager Rich Hogan couldn’t be more proud of his team.

“These are a great group of kids, tough kids,” Hogan said. “My

last words to them (after Saturday’s 11-1 tournament-ending loss to

Fountain Valley) focused on how well they support each other and

cheer each other on.

“This year the team had great success playing together as a team

and we got to play more games.”

Newport finished its All-Star season, 18-6, in games that began in

late May with the Memorial Day Tournament.

Ryan Albert enjoyed the camaraderie with his teammates.

“We’ve been playing together for three years so we know each other

and it’s fun to play with all of them,” Albert said. “I have great

teammates and that’s what makes it fun.”

Albert and outfielder Connor Curry relished the challenge of

playing in regionals against Mira Mesa and Fountain Valley.

“I enjoyed the competition,” Curry said. “It’s great going up

against teams from different areas, different cities.”

Almost two months of All-Star play may have gotten to the kids a

little, said Hogan.

“I think the kids were getting a little tired from the long season

because we made some errors we hadn’t made before,” Hogan said,

referring to Saturday’s loss to Fountain Valley.

Eight of Fountain Valley’s runs were unearned as Justin Todd

pitched four innings, giving up three runs, and was relieved by Jacob

McCann who pitched one inning.

Newport took an early 4-1 lead against Mira Mesa before Mira

Mesa’s offense exploded for three home runs, propelling them to a

17-7 win over Newport in a regional-tournament opener July 25.

Daniel Norris and McCann each scored two runs while Chris Gowdy

drove in two runs with an RBI double and also scored a run. Austin

Deyan, Chad Seeber and Blake Davey had one hit as Albert had two

hits.

Each player started one of the two regional tournament games,

which meant much to Hogan.

“That’s the important thing, that everyone got a chance to start a

game,” Hogan said.

Rounding out the NHBA Mustang A roster includes, Dillan Frieberg,

Elliott Kaufman and Alex Maddox. Assistant coaches to Hogan were Tim

Davey and Alex Deyan.