Pitching carries Costa Mesa again

Bryce Alderton

Coaches of the Costa Mesa American Little League 9- and 10-year-old

All-Star team have believed in their starting pitchers so much

through the first four games of the District 62 tournament that they

haven’t called on any relievers during that span.

That confidence has seemingly seeped throughout the entire dugout

as Costa Mesa is just one win away from competing for the district

championship following a 4-3 victory over previously undefeated

Huntington Valley in front of a sun-splashed crowd Saturday at LeBard

Park.

The same two teams face one another at 1 p.m. today at the same

field for the right to play for the championship in the

double-elimination tournament.

Costa Mesa Manager Gary Logue said this the furthest a Costa Mesa

American 9- and 10-year-old All-Star team has ever advanced.

Needless to say Costa Mesa players were a bit giddy following the

victory.

“We showed [Huntington Valley] who is boss,” said Chris Blasing,

who went 1 for 2 with a single and run scored, as he sat smiling

among teammates in a huddle next to their coaches following the

victory.

Costa Mesa (3-1) has won three straight since dropping the opening

game of the tournament, using a steady defense -- infielders haven’t

committed an error during that span, timely hitting and strong

starting pitching.

Logan Benter, pitching for the first time in the tournament, added

his name to the list of successful starting pitchers for Mesa, the

designated home team, with a gritty performance against Huntington

Valley.

Benter struck out two, walked three and scattered six hits in an

economical 66-pitch outing.

Besides the three walks, Benter went to a two-ball count to one

other batter.

Benter saved some of his best pitches for the sixth and final

inning, when Huntington Valley made one final push.

Parris Haggerty’s one-out single plated Derek Weiser, pulling

Huntington Valley within 4-3. Haggerty took second when an outfielder

booted the ball.

But Benter and his defense steadied. Left fielder Trace Curet

caught a fly ball and shortstop Nick Dawson ranged to his left to

stop a grounder up the middle and threw to first baseman Martin

Myszynski for the final out.

“[Huntington Valley] was good,” said Benter, who admitted he was

nervous in the final inning. “I threw different pitches [curveballs

and fastballs].”

In addition to Benter, Logue was quick to praise his team’s

defense, which was tested in four of the six innings. Benter retired

the side in order in the second and faced four batters in the fourth.

Costa Mesa held a 3-0 lead after four innings before Huntington

Valley got within 3-2 following Grant Phillips’ two-run, two-out

double in the fifth. Phillips took third following his hit, when the

relay throw went home.

But the Mesa defense, again, prevented any further damage Jake

Kiser’s groundball up the middle hit off the second baseman’s glove,

but shortstop Dawson alertly barehanded the ball and threw to first

beat Kiser by a step.

Mesa, in its half of the fifth, scored the eventual game-winning

run when Curet’s two-out single up the middle scored Austin McArdle,

who had walked to begin the inning.

Mesa third baseman Tyler Taormina went 2 for 2 with a double and

two RBIs. He tallied his second RBI in the fourth when he was hit by

a pitch, plating Zachary Wade, who was also hit by a pitch.

Taormina’s single to left, on a pitch near his ankles, scored

Blasing from second for the first of Mesa’s two runs in the third

inning. McArdle’s walk brought in Curet for the other run.

Huntington Valley’s left fielder had trouble fielding Taormina’s

hit, but third-base coach Jerry Dawson had his mind made up to send

Blasing.

“[Blasing] is the fastest guy on the team,” Jerry Dawson said. “If

we can’t get him home from second, we can’t get anyone in from

second.”

James Lewis and Myszynski each singled while J.T. McLuckey caught

the entire six innings and added a walk for Mesa. Ryan Weber also

contributed.

Blasing, who has thrown two complete games in the tournament thus

far, will start today’s game. Brennan Bongahoy tossed the other

complete game for Mesa, which would begin play in the district

championship at 5 p.m. Monday at Robinwood should it prevail today.

Results from today’s game will appear in Tuesday’s Daily Pilot.