Win is something to chew on

LAGUNA NIGUEL ? It had been nearly three weeks since any members of the Newport Beach American Little League Majors Division All-Stars had played a game.

But after Manager Mike Favreau’s squad thumped Lake Forest American, 11-2, in the second round of the District 55 Tournament at Chapparosa Park, he was quick to give them the next two days off.

“I want them hungry,” Favreau said of his strategically sparse practice schedule, designed to not allow his players to overindulge on standard baseball appetizers such as batting practice and taking infield.

“A lot of coaches have their kids hit and hit and hit, and practice every day,” Favreau said. “But I think that just burns kids out. I want our kids hungry to play baseball.”

Indeed, Newport Beach American, which received a first-round bye, feasted on Lake Forest pitching early Sunday.

Brent Lawson and Chase Favreau opened the game with singles. One out later, Andrew McCormack tripled inside the third-base bag to drive in two runs.

The next hitter, Allen Brown, launched a home run to center field to double the lead and give Newport Beach American starting pitcher Brandon Zelner all he would need.

Zelner went the distance, allowing five hits and one earned run. He struck out three and walked two, relying primarily on a strong defense.

“This is a solid team that is very, very strong up the middle,” Mike Favreau said.

Second baseman Erik Fisher, shortstop J.D. Dawn, center fielder Chase Favreau and catcher Lawson all displayed unusual defensive prowess for 11- and 12-year-old players.

Chase Favreau ranged to his right and left, and even backpeddled to snare three fly balls. He also quickly handled a couple singles up the middle.

“He’s the fastest kid on the team, so he can cover some ground out there,” Mike Favreau, his father, said.

Dawn totaled six assists and a putout, while Fisher had three assists and three putouts.

Fisher made the flashier plays. He charged and scooped a bouncing ball on the short hop and flipped to first to end the third inning. He sprawled to his knees to snare a hard-hit grounder, then threw to first to end the fifth.

Lawson made some mothers cringe with his willingness to throw his body in front of pitches in the dirt.

But defense and pitching were merely part of the story for Newport Beach American.

Chase Favreau went three for four and scored one run.

Allen was two for two with three RBIs and scored twice. His homer was his third of the season.

Lawson was two for three with two runs, while left fielder McCormack was two for four with two RBIs and one run.

Fisher and Zelner each had RBI singles, while Evan Daniele came off the bench to smack an RBI double.

Dawn walked and scored in his four plate appearances and Zach Murtaugh walked and scored in two plate appearances.

Cort Hastings, Tommy Bubonic and Scott Youngman also contributed for Newport Beach American, which will face either Northwood or Aliso Viejo on Saturday at 3 p.m. at Chapparosa Park.

Up, 4-0, on Sunday, Newport Beach American parlayed five hits and two Lake Forest errors into five runs in the third inning.

Lake Forest American, which had only two hits through four innings, scored an unearned run in the third. The team that included players from the this season’s winning District 55 Tournament of Champions unit, added a run in the fifth to pull within 9-2.

But Newport Beach American tacked on two runs in the sixth to advance in the double-elimination event.