Rotary improves to 6 wins

A blast by Alek Burk provided Rotary with the cushion it would need

in its Majors Division encounter with American Legion.

Burk delivered a two-run home run in the bottom of the third

inning as Rotary went on to claim a 4-2 victory in Laguna Beach

Little League action at Riddle Field.

Burk’s homer capped the scoring for Rotary, which opened up a 4-0

lead en route to running its record to 6-1.

Jake Glazer was on first base when Burk sent a 3-2 fast ball

sailing over the center-field fence.

Burk also started on the mound and got out of a first-inning jam

when he struck out two with a pair of runners on base.

Jack Clark had beaten out an infield hit and Austin Hillemann drew

a walk to put runners on base for American Legion.

In the bottom of the first, Rotary’s Michael Hyden ripped a triple

to the right-field corner and scored on an overthrow to the plate.

American Legion again produced a runner in the second when Ben

Hanson lined a single to left field to start the inning, but Burk

again got out of the inning, this time by striking out the next three

Legion batters.

With two out in the bottom of the second, Brogan O’Bryan and Tyler

Kesler produced back-to-back hits, and O’Bryan went on to score when

Alex LeBon and Bo O’Bryan drew walks.

Burk struck out the side in the sixth to complete a three-inning

stint that saw him get eight total strikeouts and give up two hits.

American Legion rallied in the fifth, piecing together two walks

and a fielding error to load the bases. Hanson then came up with his

second hit of the game, this one, a crushing line drive to left

field, which drove in two runs to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Rotary came right back in the bottom-half of the inning when Alec

Loechner and Shane Takabayashi each singled and Brogan O’Bryan laid

down a bunt single to load the bases with one out. Hillemann,

however, worked his way out of the jam unscathed.

A big stop came when Hanson, playing catcher, blocked the plate

and recorded an out as Loechner attempted to score.

Takabayashi, in a relief effort for Rotary, struck out five, gave

up a walk and didn’t allow a hit or run.