CdM warm, dry in first

IRVINE ? The Corona del Mar High baseball team traveled to Timberwolves’ territory on Tuesday, took its best cuts early, then stomped through the rain and sludge to emerge with a 6-5 victory in the Pacific Coast League opener against host Northwood.

With a light rain falling, the Sea Kings scored two runs in the first inning and three more in the third to take an early 5-1 lead. As the rain worsened, the Timberwolves, battling against time and Mother Nature, took on a greater sense of urgency.

Northwood (4-4, 1-2 in league) scored two runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth. The Timberwolves had the tying run on third base when Corona del Mar senior Eric Eadington (2-1) struck out senior Collin Laymon looking to end the fifth.

In between frames, the umpires watched the rain come down even harder before calling it, giving the Sea Kings an official win.

“This is a very big win for us,” CdM Coach John Emme said. “Northwood is one of the best teams in the league. To get a win at their place and have a chance for a sweep is huge.”

Corona del Mar’s Vinnie St. John opened the game by singling to center field, then took second after an errant pickoff throw by Northwood catcher Jourdan Watanabe. After a flyout, junior shortstop Jake Lemmerman pulled a 2-2 pitch down the left-field line to bring home St. John. Austin Elliott followed with an RBI single to left to give the Sea Kings a 2-0.

In the third inning, Corona del Mar converted a walk, two hits and a hit batsman into three runs. The big blow was senior Matt Doran’s two-run double to the left-center-field fence, which gave the Sea Kings a 5-1 lead.

CdM added a run in the fourth inning when St. John walked, moved to third on a pair of wild pitches and scored on Garte’s single off second baseman Sean Parvin’s glove with the infield drawn in.

Lemmerman went 2 for 2 with two runs and Elliot added two hits for the Sea Kings.

The Sea Kings (6-3, 1-0), who started the season ranked No. 6 in CIF Southern Section Division III but have since slipped out of the top 10, got a solid ? at times dominant ? performance from Eadington.

The left-hander had nine strikeouts in five innings and allowed five hits. Eadington now has 40 strikeouts in 24 innings of work this season.

Only two of Northwood’s five runs were earned. Two walks, a wild pitch and an outfield error led to two Timberwolves’ runs in the fourth.

The Sea Kings were holding on to a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth when the rain started coming down harder and the Timberwolves began rallying again.

“I could kind of tell the umpires were getting a little antsy,” Emme said.

With an official complete game two outs away and a full seven looking improbable, senior Michael Bonder reached on an error and Watanabe was hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, senior Brian Ferrante’s two-run triple pulled the Timberwolves within 6-5. Adam Garza walked to put runners on first and third before Eadington struck out Laymon looking to end the threat, and as it turned out, the game.

“The mound was a mud pit,” Eadington said. “I had trouble getting a good grip on the ball. I had to dry it out every time I got it.”

Through all the muck and mire, Corona del Mar came out a winner and has a chance for the sweep when it plays host to the Timberwolves on Friday.

“This was a huge win for us, especially on the road,” Eadington said.