Newport behind in arms race

DANA POINT ? There are no trade-deadline deals in youth baseball. Fire sales with which to stockpile arms or exchange an aging veteran for the promise of a young prospect are similarly out of the question.

So, John Flynn, manager of the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. Pony 13-year-old All-Stars, has no owner and general manager to meet with and discuss personnel changes.

In this league, you play with the kids on the roster. That is the deal.

Unfortunately for the Newport Harbor squad, this year’s roster does not come with much experience on the mound.

The result was an 18-2 loss to Rancho Trabuco Friday in both teams’ pool-play opener of the Dana Point Summer Classic at Del Opispo Park.

Newport Harbor used four pitchers, none of whom seemed to slow a Rancho Trabuco hit parade that was punctuated by three home runs.

The winners connected for a two-run home run and a three-run blast before a Newport Harbor pitcher had recorded an out.

The last of Trabuco Canyon’s 15 hits was a grand slam to finalize the scoring in the fourth inning.

Newport Harbor averted being shut out by scoring twice in the top of the fifth.

But a diving catch by Rancho Trabuco center fielder Kelby Scharmann turned into an inning- and game-ending double play when a runner was caught off second base. The 10-run mercy rule brought the contest, scheduled for seven innings, to an early halt.

“We have a bunch of 13-year-olds who haven’t thrown a lot this year,” said Flynn, who informed his team and their parents that he was electing to forfeit a game scheduled today in the St. Hedwig Tournament, due to the lack of pitching.

“In our league [during the regular season], we had mostly 14-year-olds pitching,” Flynn said. “We’re scheduled to play six games in seven days [in two concurrent tournaments]. We just don’t have enough pitchers.”

Newport Harbor did not lack for rally starters. Its leadoff batters in the first, second, third and fifth innings all had hits, accounting for four of the team’s six hits.

Matt Carlyle singled to open the first. Teddy Steffel and Matt Bancroft did the same in the second and fifth, respectively, while Michael Salam whacked the first of his two doubles to open the third.

Slam’s second double led to both Newport Harbor runs in the fifth.

After Bancroft lined a single to center, Charles Coakley blooped a single over the third baseman. After a strikeout, Salam produced a drive into gap in left-center. When the ball got under the center fielder’s glove, the second run scored, giving the Newport Harbor faithful something to cheer about.

But the aforementioned double play ended the threat and the game.

Newport Harbor resumes pool play Sunday at 4 p.m. against Fountain Valley.

Nine of the 12 hitters in Rancho Trabuco’s lineup (league rules require every player take his turn in the order), contributed to its hit total.

Pitcher Marco Negrete and catcher Eric Nelson both went three for three and Nelson drove in four runs, including a three-run dinger in the first.

Conner Spencer hit the grand slam for the winners, who received a two-run blast from shortstop Jeff Emanuel.

Negrete went the distance on the mound, striking out five.

Newport Harbor committed five errors, which led to three unearned runs.

“We were just overmatched today,” Flynn said.

Flynn said Salam, who hit ninth in the 10-player order, would be moved up in future games.

“You have to go with who’s hot, right?” Flynn said.