Newport teams close out all-star seasons

The Newport Beach Little League AAA tournament team closed out its

all-star season with a 3-2 loss to Laguna Hills in the 9-and

10-year-old District 55 tournament.

Laguna Hills tallied three consecutive hits with one out in the

bottom of the sixth to plate the two deciding runs.

Newport was led by the strong pitching of Sandon Griffin, who went

all six innings with five strikeouts and no walks. Of Griffin’s 65

pitches, 48 were for strikes and he allowed only five hits and one

run. He also added a hit in the fifth inning.

Newport began the scoring in the first. Cort Hastings reached on

an error and J.D. Dawn followed with a single. Austin Blodgett

reached on a fielder’s choice and Grant Davis then singled home Dawn.

Griffin limited Laguna Hills to one run in the second when he

struck out a batter with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Zach Murtaugh’s groundout to the second baseman scored Griffin in

the fifth. Griffin reached on a hit and advanced to second and third

on wild pitches.

Laguna Hills threatened to tie the game in the fifth, but Brennan

Anderson’s throw from center field cut down a runner attempting to

score from second to end the inning.

In Newport Harbor Baseball Association Mustang (9- and

10-year-olds) All-Star district play:

* The Mustang B All-Star team went 1-3 in its district tournament,

highlighted by a 20-8 win over St. Hedwig on July 12.

Whittier eliminated Newport with a 7-2 victory July 13.

Newport was led by the pitching from Jakob Trobman, Joseph

Di-Cesare and Jamie Davis while Sean Sullivan, Christian Ochoa,

Garrett Kerr, Conner Lomenzo and Ryan Cerrato contributed multiple

hits.

Todd Bates, Jordan Desguin, Blake Bell and Mac McKelvey anchored

the defense.