Laguna Beach blanks Newport National unit

LAGUNA NIGUEL ? Laguna Beach Little League Majors Division All-Stars Manager Cary Redfearn said his roster is so laden with good hitters, he could pick the batting order out of a hat.

When it comes to placing his players in the field, however, he left nothing to chance. Hence, 12-year-old Austin Paxson was the center of attention in the center of the diamond in Saturday’s District 55 Tournament opener against the Newport Beach National Little League All-Stars at Chapparosa Park.

Paxson, struck out 11 in a complete-game four-hitter and also hit a three-run home run to help Laguna Beach earn an 8-0 victory.

The loss knocked Newport Beach National into the losers’ bracket, where it will face Central Irvine on Wednesday at 5 p.m. at the same site.

“[Paxson] threw hard,” said Newport Beach shortstop and pitcher Brett Thompson, when asked to assess the reason behind the Laguna Beach ace’s success.

Thompson had some success of his own, pushing a perfectly placed bunt single in the first inning and lacing a line drive single to right field in the third. Thompson also reached on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, but never advanced past second base.

“Their pitcher did a fabulous job,” Newport Beach Manager Scott Thayer said of Paxson, who worked out of jams in the first and third innings. “He had a good fastball and a curve and he had command of both pitches.”

Thayer also praised Paxson for executing when it counted most, including the aforementioned third inning when Newport Beach loaded the bases with one out.

Michael Keasey walked to open the threat, the second of two walks allowed by Paxson. After a strikeout, Thompson singled and reached second when Jedd Thayer’s ground ball to shortstop was booted for an error.

But Paxson, whom Redfearn described as “the No. 1 gun” in the Laguna Beach Majors Division this season, struck out the next two hitters to protect a 1-0 lead.

“I think it always takes something out of a team when they load the bases with one out and don’t score,” Thayer said.

It remained 1-0 until the sixth as Newport Beach pitchers Jedd Thayer, who started and went four innings, and Thompson combined to limit Laguna Beach to three hits through five innings.

But Laguna Beach capitalized on four Newport Beach errors to produce seven unearned runs in the sixth, allowing Paxson to relax and complete his shutout.

Paxson capped the seven-run outburst by launching his seventh home run of the season over the left-field fence.

Laguna Beach has traditionally struggled against other District 55 representatives. But Redfearn said there was excitement surrounding this year’s squad.

“This is the strongest team Laguna Beach has had in quite some time,” said Redfearn, who noted the league tripled its number of combined home runs this year, compared to 2005.

Catcher Grant Garrett and first baseman Gianni Ferrante had the other two singles for Newport Beach, which also turned in some handy glove work.

David Moore made a diving catch of a sinking liner in right-center field.

Second baseman Keasey retreated to haul in a pop-up and Thompson bare-handed a bounding ball at short and fired to first. He appeared to have the runner on a bang-bang play, but he was called safe.

Jedd Thayer struck out the side in the third inning and had five strikeouts, before switching positions with Thompson.

“I thought we played very well, defensively, for five innings,” Scott Thayer said.

Scott Thayer said Spencer Bruno would start on the mound against Central Irvine, as Newport Beach begins to try to battle out of the losers’ bracket.