Rangers exit with TOC loss

LAGUNA BEACH ? For the Newport Beach Little League Triple A Rangers, it was a thrill just to make it to the District 55 Tournament of Champions.

They almost pulled out a first-round win on Thursday, but fell, 2-1, to the Central Irvine Cardinals at Riddle Field.

The Cardinals scored twice in the bottom of the fifth to break a scoreless tie, and the Rangers rallied but fell a bit short of the victory.

“This is my sixth year coaching,” Rangers Manager Bart Conroy said. “I do coach with the idea of trying to make it to this point. The venue down here has been just awesome, and it has been a great experience.”

The Rangers had one of their best chances to score in the first inning. Anthony Cecere lined a leadoff single to center, and, one out later, Kyle Trush rocketed a ball off the fence in center field.

Cleanup hitter Nick Aguilar walked to load the bases, but Cardinals’ pitcher Jeffrey DeKlotz recovered to get the final two outs of the inning.

From then on, it was a pitching duel. Paddy Conroy, the manager’s son, almost pitched the Rangers into the second round. He had a no-hitter through three innings and worked around a leadoff double to open the Cardinals’ fourth, getting two strikeouts in the process.

“It was a little bit of uncharted territory, because he’d never pitched more than three [innings] during the year,” Bart Conroy said. “So to get into the fifth inning, he did a great job, and the other kids in the field did awesome behind him.”

But the Cardinals scored twice in the fifth, with the key hit a bases-loaded double to righ by Rafael Canul.

Rangers relief pitcher Cecere ? who started the game at catcher ? got out of the jam, giving Newport a chance in its last at-bat in the sixth inning.

With one out, Trush delivered his second hit of the game, a single to center.

“I think I just swung the bat and I got lucky,” a modest Trush said after the game. “I just tried to focus on the ball, and I just hit it.”

Aguilar then drew a disciplined full-count walk, and Trush went to third on a wild pitch.

With runners at the corners, Blake Schneekluth hit a slow-rolling grounder near first base.

The ball went off Cardinal first baseman Kenny Do’s glove but right to second baseman Vasken Najarian, who was backing up the play.

Schneekluth was barely out at first, and a run scored. But the would-be tying run was sent home and consequently gunned down on a close play, ending the game.

The Rangers kept their spirits high after the game.

“I’ve never been in the Tournament of Champions,” second baseman Chris Croxton said. “So it was really fun just to get there.”

Trush also left with a smile.

“I think [the season] was really fun and I had a good time,” he said.

Though the team’s season is over, Conroy said he couldn’t have been happier with the way it went.

“They’re such a great group of kids, and that’s all that really mattered,” Bart Conroy said. “I’m very proud of the way they played all season long.”

Also playing well for the Rangers were center fielder A.J. Sanchez, left fielder Calder Maloney, first baseman Ian Hill, Taylor Matteson, Ricky Luehrs and Taylor Gleeson.

Paddy Conroy struck out six in 4 1/3 innings.