Breakers baseball ends on high note

LAGUNA BEACH – The Laguna Beach High baseball team is on a winning streak. But there are no more games left to play.

The Breakers finished the season 14-15, 7-5 in Orange Coast League play, and without a spot in the 2008 playoffs.

“We did a good job,” Laguna Coach Jeff Sears said. “We’ve learned from the past, and that’s what’s important.”

They wrapped up with two back-to-back league victories over Estancia this week, putting them at 4-0 against Estancia.

Laguna beat host Estancia 3-1 on Monday, and came back to sweep the Eagles 8-0 Wednesday night at Skipper Carrillo Field.

They previously routed Estancia, 12-3 (April 1) and 12-1 (April 18).

The Breakers scored in the first inning when Dalton Sype hit a double that drove in Dillon Pierce, who hit a double to reach.

The Eagles defense challenged them in the second and third innings, putting out Casey Miller, Julian Deline and Jake Sganga while trying to steal bases.

Laguna edged the Eagles with a 1-0 lead until the bottom of the fourth inning, when they pulled away with three additional runs.

With four more hits, and three errors made my Estancia’s defense, the Breakers were able to drive in three more runs.

They could have had three more in the sixth inning, but the Eagles defense made a nice double play with a ball hit by Julian Deline, putting the Breakers at three outs with three men left on base.

Sears said the team did a good job of executing at the plate this game – something they’ve been working on all season.

“We were very patient at the plate and took what they gave us,” he said. “The [players] were a little more loose than usual and had fun with it.”

Defensively, Zach Nuno pitched seven solid innings. He struck out four, and gave up five hits, but demonstrated control.

“He was pitching with purpose, and I think he threw very well,” Sears said.

At Monday’s game, Will Burk and Nuno each batted in one run. On defense, Gabe Stansbury and Gillette had seven putouts each, and Julian Deline struck out seven, and gave up only two hits.