Mesa American rallies for win

Natalie Venegas

After trailing for three innings, 2-0, against Seaview Little League

at Wardlow Park, the Costa Mesa American Little League Majors

division All-Stars came into the fourth inning full of inspiration,

scoring seven runs on their way to a 7-4 victory.

The win brings them three wins away from a District 62

championship, hosted by Huntington Valley Little League in Huntington

Beach.

The Mesa All-Stars, who feature seven players from the winning

District 62 Tournament of Champions Costa Mesa Angels, started off

sluggish, allowing two runs in the second inning off singles by

Seaview’s Charlie Miller, Matt Kibby and Drew Daily.

Costa Mesa American All-Stars Garret Hirsch, Logan Benter and

Brian Waldron opened the big fourth inning with singles -- Waldron’s

single scoring Hirsch, pulling Mesa within, 2-1.

Brandon Kelly’s line drive loaded the bases for Timmy Miller, who

hit an RBI single, tying the game at 2.

Martin Myszyinski followed with a chopper, which brought in

Waldron and gave Costa Mesa a 3-2 lead.

With the bases loaded, Miller scored on a fielder’s choice off the

bat of Jordan Myers, giving Mesa a 4-2 lead.

Pitcher P.J. Maloney, who finished 2 for 4, hit a two-run single

to bring in Kelly and Myszyinski. Maloney advanced to second on a

throwing error.

In Hirsch’s second at-bat in the fourth inning, he hit an RBI

double, scoring Myers and giving Mesa a 7-2 edge.

“Once we got used to the pitching, our hitting got a lot better,”

Maloney said.

In the bottom of the fourth, Seaview’s Trevor Becker singled and

scored on Lauren Czernianchowski’s single and a Mesa throwing error.

Czernianchowski stole third and scored on the play after a wild

throw as Seaview pulled within three.

Maloney struck out the last three batters to end the fourth

inning.

Maloney, who pitched all six innings, struck out 10, with no

walks.

Hirsch was 2 for 3, Myszyinski was 1 for 1 and Waldron was 1 for

3.

“This win brought a bigger bond to the team,” Manager Jeff Hirsch

said. “I like the chances we have to get further.”

Hirsch, who was also the coach of the TOC champion Angels, said

one of the difficult aspects of the All-Star games is the adjustment

players must make.

“When you blend all these players together, it’s hard at first

because they all feel the need to compete for the positions they’ve

held all year.”

With only three practices under their belt, he said the players

are beginning to adjust and come together as a team.

After the victory, Hirsch gathered his players into a huddle,

giving them motivation for Wednesday, when they will face Huntington

Valley at 5 p.m. at Wardlow Park. Huntington Valley defeated Costa

Mesa National Thursday.

“We started out as two teams,” Hirsch told his squad. “But now

we’re one. As soon as that first pitch is thrown, it’s just

baseball.”