Newport swings to finals

LAGUNA NIGUEL ? After the post-game speech, the chant was “En Fuego” for the Newport Beach American Little League Majors Division All-Stars.

The bats were indeed again on fire for Newport Beach in a 15-4 win over Laguna Niguel on Wednesday night, a marathon game that took three hours to complete.

With the win, Newport advances to tonight’s District 55 Majors All-Star Tournament championship game against Laguna Hills, at 7 at Chapparosa Park. Manager Mike Favreau’s team now needs to beat Laguna Hills twice consecutively to advance to the Section 5 Little League playoffs ? somewhere Favreau said Newport Beach Little League has never gone.

If Newport Beach is victorious tonight, a second district championship game would be played Saturday at 11 a.m.

“Our chant was ‘En Fuego’ because that’s what we are,” Favreau said. “All the kids are hitting the ball, top to bottom ... I told the guys we’d come too far to lose now, so let’s give it 110 percent.”

Chase Favreau did just that on Wednesday, going five for five with two runs scored and six RBIs. He gave his team an early lead in the opening frame, scoring on Andrew McCormack’s RBI single to right field.

Newport Beach was up 8-4 heading into the sixth inning, when it sent 11 batters to the plate and scored seven runs. Players with hits in the inning included Favreau, J.D. Dawn, Allen Brown, Eric Fisher (two hits), Brandon Zelner and Zach Murtaugh.

Dawn started the game on the mound and was relieved in the third inning by Brown, who gave up just one run in three-plus innings.

“Allen knows what he has to do and he just battles, battles, battles,” Mike Favreau said. “He doesn’t rattle, and that’s what makes a good athlete.”

Favreau said he knows his team can beat Laguna Hills, despite an 11-6 loss on Tuesday in the District 55 championship bracket semifinals. Newport Beach uncharacteristically committed four errors in that game.

“If we play defense, the bats will be there and we’ll beat them,” Favreau said. “The kids know that.”