Wardel delivers in Costa Mesa win

FOR THE RECORD

Costa Mesa American Little League Majors All-Stars pitcher Tom Werdel’s name was spelled incorrectly in a story detailing the baseball team’s victory in Sunday’s edition of the Daily Pilot.

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HUNTINGTON BEACH ? It wasn’t the plan for Costa Mesa American Little League Majors All-Stars starting pitcher Tom Wardel to go the distance.

Problem was, Manager John McLuckey just couldn’t take him out.

Wardel threw a complete game, giving up just one run on six hits, as the Costa Mesa American squad beat Huntington Valley, 4-1, in the first round of the District 62 Tournament on Saturday at LeBard Park.

Costa Mesa American moves on to meet host Seaview in the second round of the double-elimination tournament on Thursday at 5:30 p.m., also at LeBard Park.

By keeping his pitch count low ? just 72 pitches over six innings ? Wardel kept his arm strength high. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter.

“Tommy threw a very efficient game,” McLuckey said. “We figured we’d ride him as far as he could go.”

Wardel had a lead for most of the game, as Costa Mesa American struck for three runs in the bottom of the first.

Austin McArdle led off with a single to center, took second on a wild pitch and took third on J.T. McLuckey’s infield single.

Martin Myszynski singled to right to drive in McArdle, taking second on a late throw home. Wardel then helped his own cause, slapping a single past the shortstop and into left-center. The hit scored two more to increase the lead to 3-0.

“We hadn’t played Huntington Valley this year at all, even in [Tournament of Champions] play, so I was worried coming in,” John McLuckey said. “I told the guys, ‘Huntington Valley has always had a strong pitching staff. They’re going to want to get on top of you. Get on top of that first-pitch strike and go with it.’”

Costa Mesa added a run in the fourth inning, largely thanks to the hustle of substitute Josh Stubblefield.

Stubblefield led off the fourth with a bunt single down the first-base line. He advanced to second base on a wild throw to first.

Kevin Salyer walked and, one out later, McArdle’s single to left field loaded the bases.

The Huntington Valley pitcher threw a wild pitch, and Stubblefield raced home. It was a close play at the plate, but Stubblefield slid under the tag to score Costa Mesa American’s fourth run.

“Everyone contributed; everyone was there to play,” said J.T. McLuckey, who went three for three. “Everyone won that game, not just one person.”

Huntington Valley scored its only run in the fourth inning on A.J. Libunao’s solo home run.

The Costa Mesa squad also helped itself with some nice plays in the field.

Stubblefield snagged a well-hit ball to right field in the fourth, and center fielder Logan Benter made a sparkling play in the fifth.

Huntington Valley’s Kyle Johnson was on third base with one out when Libunao hit a fly ball to fairly deep center. Benter caught the ball, then fired a one-bounce strike to Costa Mesa catcher Tyler Taormina, who tagged out Johnson.

“That was huge, just huge,” John McLuckey said. “They had their big hitter up, and Logan really gunned down that guy at home.”

Wardel, who got the game ball from Manager McLuckey after the game, was also appreciative.

“That was pretty cool,” he said. “A nice catch, and a nice throw.”

Infielder Tyler Sheffner hit the ball hard twice in the fourth inning, launching a foul ball to the right-field fence before lining out to first.

Also playing well for the Costa Mesa American were outfielders Trace Curet and Nick Dawson, as well as Jeremy Peak.

John McLuckey said he was relieved that his team stayed in the winners’ bracket with the victory.

“It’s hard, at all-stars, to get out of the losers’ bracket, because it seems like you’re there for a long time,” McLuckey said. “I told the guys we had to play smart baseball and get out of this with a win, to stay in that winners’ bracket. And they really did that today.”dpt.02-majors-3-BPhotoInfoRA1SI82D20060702j1qya7ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa American All-Stars third baseman J.T. McLuckey throws to first in Saturday’s District 62 Tournament-opening win.dpt.02-majors-1-CPhotoInfoRA1SI7FJ20060702j1qy98ncMARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Costa Mesa American Majors All-Stars catcher Tyler Taormina, center, applies the tag on Huntington Valley’s Kyle Johnson, who was thown out by center fielder Logan Benter trying to tag from third base in Distrtict 62 Tournament play.