The Long and short of it

Bryce Alderton

The way they did it was different but the result was still the

same Wednesday as the All-Stars from Costa Mesa National beat the

Costa Mesa American All-Stars, 11-0, at Costa Mesa High to win the

sixth annual Mayor’s Cup and tie the overall series record, 3-3,

since play began in 1997.

“Now I get to retire, it was fun,” said a smiling Costa Mesa

National Manager Bill Redding, after relief pitcher Garrick Williams

struck out a Costa Mesa American batter with the final out in the

four-inning game called due to the 10-run mercy rule. “The first

inning there was nobody out and all of a sudden there are two outs.

That hit by Anthony Secrest was huge.”

Costa Mesa National had loaded the bases with no outs, but Justin

Long hit a grounder to second baseman Adam Gardner, who threw home

for the force out, which was followed by Costa Mesa American starting

pitcher Andrew Millian striking out the next batter before Secrest

came to the plate.

Secrest hit a pop fly that dropped in front of a diving Cody

Spoulos in center field to plate Bryan Bennett and Brandon Maurer,

who had reached on a walk and single, respectively.

Then with runners on second and third and two outs, Riley Hart

blasted the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for a

three-run home run, good to give Costa Mesa National a 5-0 lead after

a half-inning.

Costa Mesa National continued the home run ball with a one-out

belt to left by Ryan Redding in the second, and a leadoff home run by

starting pitcher Long in the third.

A four-run fourth inning gave the National an 11-0 lead, and they

ended the game, retiring the side in order in the fourth.

The top of the order produced for Costa Mesa National from start

to flinish. In the fourth as Maurer singled and then scored on

Bennett’s double to left field. Long then singled past a backhanding

Phil Weber at shortstop to move Bennett to third.

A botched pickoff attempt allowed Bennett to score and after a

bunt single by Adam Seagondollar and two passed balls allowing

Seagondollar to advance to third, Ricky Campo grounded out to second

to score Seagondollar.

Costa Mesa American left fielder Daniel Stelle singled sharply to

left field in the second to break a seven-inning hitless streak for

Costa Mesa American. Maurer pitched a perfect game Tuesday in Costa

Mesa National’s 3-0 win.

Costa Mesa American’s Andy Venegas hit a bullet that rolled to the

wall in right-center field to put runners on second and third with

two outs.

Up came Spoulos, and after fouling off two pitches for a 3-2

count, he tried to bunt, but bunted foul for the third out.

Costa Mesa American Coach Ted Spoulos was trying to catch the

National off guard because he said they were playing back in the

infield.

“It’s a gamble pitch and Cody is normally an excellent bunter,”

Spoulos said. “We tried to create something but it just backfired on

us. In this series we were flat and we just didn’t hit. It’s a bit

disappointing because this team is better than it showed.”

Costa Mesa American had two hits against Costa Mesa National

starter Justin Long, who went 3 1/3 innings, striking out six and

walking none.

According to Redding, Long was feeling nauseous since the second

inning so he decided to remove him and bring in Williams, who got the

final two outs.

Long didn’t show many signs he was feeling under the weather,

going 2 for 3 with a home run, one RBI and three runs scored as

Maurer and Bennett each went 2 for 3 with two runs scored apiece.

Redding also went 2 for 3 with a home run and one RBI as Seagondollar

went 1 for 3 with one run scored.

Secrest went 1 for 2 with a two-RBI double as Hart went 1 for 1

with a three-run home run and a walk. Chris Falbo singled as did

Brandon Grimmett for Costa Mesa National.

Millian and Andrew Dawson combined for three strikeouts for Costa

Mesa American as Spoulos made a diving catch of a fly ball hit into

shallow center field by Secrest in the third.

Sam Edman came on in relief to record the final two outs in the

fourth on a fly ball to center and a groundout to Spoulos at second

who threw to first baseman Ben Lounsbury for the out.

It was the final Little League game of the season for Costa Mesa,

as well as Newport Beach.

All that remains is Saturday’s Little League Dream Team, which

will be published in the Daily Pilot.

MAYOR’S CUP

Game 2

Costa Mesa National 11,

Costa Mesa American 0

Score by Innings

Costa Mesa National 5 1

1 4 -- 11 12 0

Costa Mesa American 0 0

0 0 -- 0 2 1

Bennett and Long, Williams (4); Mike Willson and Millian, Dawson

(3), Sam Edman (4). W -- Long, L -- Millian. 2B -- Secrest (CMN),

Bennett (CMN), Venegas (CMA), HR -- Hart (CMN), Redding (CMN), Long

(CMN).