Cardiac Cards run out of comebacks

LAKE FOREST ? The Newport Beach National Little League Majors Cardinals used a positive approach in the first round of the District 55 Tournament of Champions against the Northwood Yankees.

And it nearly led to a come-from-behind victory.

But after nearly negating a five-run deficit after one inning and totally erasing a four-run margin in the sixth, the Cardinals couldn’t get over the hump and fell to the Yankees in seven innings, 11-9, in the single-elimination tournament at Heroes Park.

The Cardinals, who captured the Newport Beach National Little League Majors title, finished their season with a record of 13-8.

“I’m very happy with all of the kids,” Cardinals Coach George Garrett said. “They played their hearts out. They left the game on the field.”

Down, 9-5, going into the bottom of the sixth inning, Garrett had a message for his team.

“I reminded them we’ve been down twice by five runs this season and twice by four runs,” Garrett said. “We’ve had some comeback wins. We’re the Cardiac Cardinals. I said, ‘Can we win this game?’ And the kids said, ‘Yes.’ I knew we weren’t out of it.”

Jack Reed started the sixth-inning rally with a one-out infield single before Spencer Bruno reached on an error.

Scott McGowan followed with a single up the middle that scored Reed on a close play at the plate. Yankees center fielder Chase Rhodes’ throw home was high to catcher Matt Ciuffetelli, who reached up to catch it a few feet up the third-base line and tried to make the tag with a downward swipe. But Reed juked out of the way and stepped on the plate safely.

Bret Thompson (two for four with three RBIs and two runs) singled home a run to pull the Cardinals within 9-7, prompting the Yankees to replace starting pitcher Jacob Hoffman with Jonathon Model.

Grant Garrett greeted Model with a single to shallow right field on an 0-2 pitch to load the bases.

William Lyle, who reached base in every at-bat, grounded to second base. The Yankees attempted what would have been a game-ending double play, but, after getting the forceout at second, the shortstop’s throw to first was low and skipped past the first baseman. Two runs scored on the play.

Model ended the inning by getting a strikeout, but the Cardinals had tied the score, 9-9, to force extra innings.

“I try to keep the kids positive and relaxed,” Garrett said. “I try to keep them in the now and take one pitch at a time. It’s never over until the umpire calls it over.”

The Yankees scored two runs in the top of the seventh. The rally was sparked by Mark Gyurina’s leadoff ground-rule double to left field and capped with a two-run single by Rhodes.

The Cardinals went down in order in their half of the seventh.

Grant Garrett started on the mound for the Cardinals, but lasted just one inning.

Bruno, the Cardinals’ ace, who came on in relief in the second, pitched six full innings.

Bruno struck out five and walked three in a solid performance.

The Yankees took a 5-0 lead after one inning, highlighted by Kyle Sullivan’s three-run home run.

The Cardinals fought back with a run in the second inning and three in the third.

With runners on first and third in the third inning, Thompson drove a long fly to left-center field. Yankees outfielders Patrick Enriquez and Rhodes collided going for the ball in flight, which dropped and rolled toward the fence, allowing two runs to score. Thompson wound up with a triple and the Cardinals pulled within 5-4 after three innings.