Newport Harbor team bested

LOS ALAMITOS ? Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. Mustang A All-Stars’ Manager Pat Cox knows how to get teams to their final destination. Now he’s just got to figure out how to get them to win once they’re there.

During the regular season, Cox managed his team to the league championship game. So far in all-star competition, Cox has managed the Newport Harbor Mustang A All-Stars to two tournament title games in two tries. But all Cox has to show for his accomplishments are three runner-up trophies, including the St. Hedwig Tournament runner-up trophy after his Newport Harbor squad fell to Fountain Valley, 5-2, Saturday, in the tournament championship game at St. Hedwig School.

“I have to get the monkey off my back,” Cox said.

Newport Harbor, which lost to Charter Oak, 11-9, in the final of the Irvine Memorial Day Tournament, appears to be taking steps toward flinging away that monkey.

Earlier in the St. Hedwig Tournament, Newport Harbor lost to Fountain Valley, 12-5, in a lopsided contest.

“We were never really in the game,” Cox said.

Saturday, Newport Harbor always trailed, but was often a big hit or two away from catching up to Fountain Valley.

Fountain Valley’s offense was sparked by two-run home runs in the second and fourth innings, that staked the team to a 4-0 lead.

Fountain Valley pitcher Scott Schultz hurled 3 2/3 innings of no-hit baseball until Chase Whiting singled with two outs in the bottom of the fourth inning.

“I think the boys were a little intimidated early on after losing 12-5 to this team the last time we played them,” Cox said. “It took a few innings for them to realize they can play with them.”

Down by four in the fifth inning, Newport Harbor rallied off Fountain Valley relief pitcher Brock Lundquist.

Barron Schwarz led off the inning with an infield single and stole second.

With one out, Sean Cox was hit square in the helmet with a fastball and fell to the dirt. But he shot right back up and ran to first base.

T.K. McWhertor followed with a run-scoring single to right field. Cox took third on the hit.

Then, taking instruction from his father/manager Pat Cox, who was coaching third at the time, he shuffled halfway down the third-base line, trying to draw a throw.

When Fountain Valley bit and the throw came to third base, Cox bolted toward the plate and scored standing up to cut the lead to 4-2.

“That’s something we work on,” Pat Cox said. “We want him to force a throw, force them to make a play at home.”

Lundquist escaped the jam without further damage. After Fountain Valley added a run in the sixth, Lundquist retired Newport Harbor in order to ice the victory.

“We cut the difference from the last time we played them,” Pat Cox said. “Hopefully, if we’re fortunate to have them in our bracket in the district tournament, we’ll cut it all the way.”

Fountain Valley’s Scott Schultz and Dillon Persinger both hit two-run home runs to right field that narrowly cleared the fence. They proved to be the difference.

“They had the two, two-run home runs, and that was about it,” Cox said. “They were wind-blown, too, and barely got over the fence. But those are the breaks.”

Brad Tapfer hurled two innings of relief for Newport Harbor, allowing just one run. Tapfer struck out the last two batters he faced.

Newport Harbor played another stellar game defensively, committing no errors.

Second baseman Garrett Hall highlighted the defensive effort, making a sliding stop on a hard-hit ground ball in the fifth inning to help halt a potential rally.

Schultz and Lundquist held Newport Harbor to three hits on the day.

Fountain Valley had just six hits.