Sailors feel the Pride

Steve Virgen

It was known as the 13th-place game of the Pride of the Coast

tournament.

However, for the players involved, the contest had added meaning

as a majority of the competitors were familiar with one another since

they are in the Newport-Mesa District and also battled against each

other in Pony League action.

There was a certain pride of the coast for Newport Harbor High,

which, led by senior Joey Cantarella, defeated Estancia, 2-1, on the

Sailors’ diamond Wednesday.

Cantarella struck out 10, walked two and scattered four hits in

his complete-game victory. He also belted a two-out, RBI double in

the bottom of the third inning, giving Newport Harbor a 2-0 lead and

providing the difference in the Tars’ win.

“I used to play with a lot of those guys,” Cantarella said. “It

made it a lot more fun to win.”

The Eagles (2-11) could have been saying something similar, as

Estancia senior pitcher Brad Young, was solid and workmanlike in his

effort. He struck out three and allowed just three hits. Young also

had a single in the seventh inning.

He stole second and, with one out, advanced to third on a wild

pitch. But Cantarella struck out the final two batters to end the

game.

“Joey bowed his neck and got us out of it,” said Newport Coach

Joel Desguin, whose team improved to 9-6.

Cantarella’s two walks came in the sixth inning, allowing the

Eagles to come within 2-1. After a groundout, freshman Trevor

McDonald reached on an infield single. Then a somewhat controversial

call ensued. The umpire called an Estancia batter out after he

apparently interfered with the catcher’s throw to second, in an

attempt to throw out a stealing McDonald.

Estancia Coach Jon Green challenged the call, saying the batter

did his best to get out of the way, by ducking down after his swing

on a strike. But the umpire stayed with his decision for Estancia’s

second out.

Sophomore Evan Van Geem followed with a single. Then, senior

Jeremy Hauser drew a walk to load the bases. Cantarella threw four

straight balls to Hauser and four more consecutive to Mike McDaniels,

bringing McDonald home.

But, Cantarella got out of the jam, by inducing a groundout toward

first base.

“[Tuesday], we won a 12-inning game [6-5 over Paramount],” Desguin

said. “And now we win 2-1. We overcame a little adversity and we

showed some character. We could have folded. Those were the positives

... Overall, we didn’t play well in this tournament. We came close to

being 0-4 [in the Pride of the Coast].”

Newport Harbor junior Greg Miner, who scored the game-winning run

Tuesday, accounted for the Sailors’ lone run in the second inning. He

reached on a walk and stole second. Senior Karo Makserjian knocked

him in with a base hit to left field.

In the third inning, Newport senior Brandon Jasper knocked a

two-out single past the second baseman and toward right field, which

caused an error in the outfield, allowing him to reach third base.

Cantarella then came up with the aforementioned double.

“That would have been a good game to win for us,” Green said. “But

to play a team like Newport, 2-1, and to go up against their No. 1

pitcher and lose, 2-1, is a bit of an accomplishment for our kids.”

*--*

Pride of the Coast tournament 13th-place

game

Newport Harbor 2, Estancia 1

Score by Innings

Estancia 000 001 0 -- 1 4 2

Newport 011 000 x -- 2 3 0

Young and Crom; Cantarella and Sanchez. W

-- Cantarella, 4-2. L -- Young, 0-4. 2B --

Cantarella (NH).

*--*