Angelides sizzles in 15-2 loss

LOS ALAMITOS ? Oozing personality as he schmoozes with teammates, parents, and opponents alike, one would never peg Angelo Angelides as uptight.

But the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. Pony 13-year-old All-Stars’ standout needed only one word Monday to pinpoint the key to breaking out of his postseason slump.

“Relax,” said Angelides, who went three for three to highlight an otherwise dismal day for Newport Harbor, which fell, 15-2, to Los Alamitos B in pool play at the Los Alamitos Invitational.

“I’ve just been really uptight,” said Angelides, who also stood out in the field. He twice threw out runners at the plate, the first on a fielder’s choice grounder to his shortstop position to help “limit” Los Alamitos’ nine-run first-inning.

In the third, Angelides ran into the outfield on Julian Najm’s triple that bounded over the center fielder. The outfielder retrieved the ball near the fence and threw to Angelides, who had positioned himself as a cutoff man about 20 yards deeper than his normal spot at short. He wheeled and gunned a relay to catcher Max Gerard, who applied the tag on Najm at the plate for the first out of the inning.

It was the closest Los Alamitos came to scoring after it took a 15-1 lead.

But, with the 10-run mercy rule taking effect after five innings, Newport Harbor was denied its final two at-bats for the second time in four days.

Newport fell to 1-4 in this tournament. The locals also lost an 18-2 verdict, which also invoked the mercy rule, in their opener Friday at the Dana Point Summer Classic.

Newport Harbor rode the strong pitching of Zack Beaudin and Angelides to a 3-2 victory over a team from Fountain Valley in its second game Sunday at the Dana Point tournament. Newport managed to win Sunday despite producing just two hits, Newport Harbor Manager John Flynn said.

“That was magic,” Flynn said of Sunday’s win.

With Angelides leading the way, Newport Harbor had seven hits Monday at the Los Alamitos Pony field. Eight of Newport Harbor’s 10 players reached base as the locals left 10 runners on in the final four innings, after being retired in order in the first.

Angelides, who said he did not play football last fall, in order to focus on baseball ? which he plans to play at Newport Harbor High ? lined a single to center field with one out in the second.

After advancing to second on a wild pitch and reaching third on Charles Coakley’s squib infield single down the third-base line, Angelides scored when Spencer Rautus legged out an infield single on a grounder to the shortstop hole.

Angelides extended a Newport Harbor rally in the third inning by bouncing a single over the third baseman with two outs.

Newport Harbor scored earlier in the third, when Matt Carlyle crossed the plate on an infield error.

Angelides yanked a line single through the left side in the fifth, but was stranded at first when the game ended.

“[Angelides] is a spirited player,” Flynn said.

Nathaniel Johnson singled, stole a base and walked for Newport Harbor, while Gerard walked twice in his two plate appearances.

Teddy Steffel added a single for Newport Harbor, while Matt Bancroft walked and reached on an error.

Carlyle reached on an error and a fielder’s choice. He also stole a base.

Carlyle also produced a defensive highlight. While playing right field ? Newport Harbor players rotated positions throughout he game ? Carlyle charged a would-be base hit that landed in front of him and threw to Angelides covering second for a forceout. It was the first out of Los Alamitos’ four-run second inning.

Another Newport Harbor web gem was turned in by Beaudin, who made a diving catch of a fly ball in shallow right-center field for the third out in the Los Alamitos third inning.

Newport Harbor, which used three pitchers, committed four errors.

Bancroft was the most effective pitcher. He threw two scoreless relief innings after starting the fourth.

Los Alamitos banged out 15 hits, including three triples and three doubles.

Najm was three for four with two triples and two RBIs, while John Kovachevich was three for three with two RBIs, including one double.

Los Alamitos starter Jake Smith fanned four in two innings and two relievers combined to strike out three more.

“Los Alamitos is always a very good team,” Flynn said.