DAILY PILOT NEWPORT-MESA BASEBALL DREAM TEAM:

At one glance you will see a lot of new faces on this year’s Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Baseball Dream Team.

RJ D’Cruz almost got a new grill well before his debut.

In one game this season D’Cruz battled through a gash above his upper lip caused by a cleat catching him while he tagged out a base runner at second base.

Determined to stay in the game with blood forming a mustache, D’Cruz showed all year long you don’t have to be on a winning team in order to receive respect, even the highest honor locally.

D’Cruz is the Player of the Year for his tenacious play and for posting quality numbers for Newport Harbor High as a senior in the robust Sunset League. Five of six teams in league finished with at least 12 victories.

The only one ending the season without reaching double digits in wins was Newport Harbor.

“Everyone is tough,” Newport Harbor Coach Evan Chalmers said. “Really, everyone is tough.”

So is D’Cruz, a pitcher and second baseman bound for the University of San Diego.

Every time out, D’Cruz wore his resiliency on his face (the cut above his lip). When times were tough, another time hurting his non-throwing left shoulder, forcing him to miss his first game in three years, D’Cruz continued on.

D’Cruz never blamed anyone after a loss. And he probably had a better reason than most players to complain. He has experienced a lot of losing the last three seasons.

This past one the Sailors dropped 14 of 23 games. They actually won more than in 2007, when they finished 5-20, 1-14 in league.

This year Newport Harbor turned it around by playing with confidence. The Sailors went 8-14-1, 4-11, arguably making them the best team in the Newport-Mesa area. D’Cruz played a big part.

“It was definitely tough losing, but we played together and never got discouraged,” D’Cruz said. “This season was a whole lot of fun. All the guys got along and I’ll never forget this season and everyone on the team.”

They won’t forget D’Cruz, either. The right-hander always faced an uphill battle, or at least as though he were pitching on flat ground. The Sunset League is that brutal.

His numbers, other than the 3-7 record, aren’t too shabby, a 2.94 earned-run average and 58 strikeouts in 59 1/3 innings. He saved two games as well.

Offensively, D’Cruz led the Sailors with a .355 batting average in league. Overall, he hit .313 with seven runs batted in, two doubles, two triples, and he was five for five in stolen-base attempts.

There were many memorable performances turned in by D’Cruz. The league opener at Esperanza, where D’Cruz, in relief, believed he had just given up a two-run, game-winning home run in the bottom of the seventh.

“Then out of nowhere Nick Vlahakis makes an unbelievable leaping grab at the fence in right field, allowing us to win,” D’Cruz said. “We just went crazy. We ran toward him and jumped on him.”

Another thrilling ending came in the bloody home game, the one in which D’Cruz stopped the bleeding as well as Corona del Mar. He pitched three scoreless innings in relief to help Newport Harbor come from behind to win, 7-1, in the Battle of the Bay game.

“There was no way I was coming out of that one,” D’Cruz said. “They had our number, beating us [five] straight times. It was pure adrenaline that kept me going back out there for more.”

It was the same situation, except for no blood this time, in the first game against Los Alamitos in league play.

Newport Harbor fought to the end, staying with the then-No. 1-ranked program in the CIF Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll before losing, 2-0, at home.

D’Cruz hung with the best of what Los Alamitos had to offer that day, pitchers Kyle Simon and Beau Wright.

Los Alamitos Coach Mark Clabough praised D’Cruz after he went the distance.

“That kid that pitched against us was good,” Clabough said of D’Cruz, who struck out six and allowed only three hits and one earned run. “We beat these guys pretty handily three times last year. But I always liked him. He was good.”

Now that will bring a smile to any new face.

Below are the rest of the Dream Team members:

?

RYAN REDDING

Estancia, senior

Redding played with an unorthodox style, but was one of the area’s top three players. He excelled at shortstop with his quick feet and throwing range. At the plate, he hit the ball hard in the gaps, finishing with a .378 batting average to go with 14 RBIs, four triples and two home runs. He posted a .510 on-base percentage and stole 33 bases in 38 attempts. Coach Matt Sorensen said Redding will walk on at the University of Oregon next year. He earned first-team All-Orange Coast League honors.

?

JACK HEFFRON

Sage Hill, freshman

Heffron lands on the Dream Team as an outfielder, but really could’ve made it as a pitcher. The left-hander hit and pitched exceptionally well for Sage Hill. The 6-foot-2 Heffron led local hitters with a .476 batting average to go with 24 RBIs, 11 doubles, two home runs, two triples, and a .528 on-base percentage. As a pitcher, Heffron went 4-3 with a 2.83 ERA, striking out 51 in 37 innings. He earned first-team All-Academy League honors.

?

SEAN VOGEL

Sage Hill, sophomore

Vogel is the ultimate utility player. He can play anywhere, evident from starting the season in center field before settling in at shortstop. He closed games as well. Vogel led Sage Hill’s attack, posting a .414 batting average and .522 on-base percentage. He scored 27 runs, stole 12 bases in 13 attempts, doubled five times, and drove in 18 runs. In relief, Vogel went 2-0 with two saves, with 22 strikeouts in 21 1/3 innings. He earned first-team All-Academy League honors.

?

TYLER PETERSON

Costa Mesa, sophomore

For a youngster, Peterson was the ace at Costa Mesa. He pitched big, leading the team with a 7-4 record and 3.58 ERA, and into the playoffs for the second straight year. The right-hander had Costa Mesa within one win of claiming its first league championship in 31 years. He stuck out 43 in 68 1/3 innings, recorded one shutout and five complete games. He earned first-team All-Orange Coast League honors.

?

CHRISTOPHER GRIFFIN

Sage Hill, junior

The best defensive first baseman in the area also could hit. Griffin posted a .991 fielding percentage, committing only one error through 22 games. He was second on the team with a .457 average, and he had 17 RBIs, four doubles, and a .548 on-base percentage. He drove in the team’s lone run in the CIF Southern Section Division VI second-round playoff game against Apple Valley Christian. He earned second-team All-Academy League honors.

?

TRAVIS DUNCAN

Sage Hill, senior

On a young team, Duncan provided much-needed leadership. The right-hander was the winning pitcher when Sage Hill clinched its first Academy League title in school history. Duncan finished 3-4 with a 1.97 ERA. In 39 innings, he struck out 27, including eight in a 2-1 loss at Apple Valley Christian in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division VI playoffs, the furthest Sage Hill had ever advanced. He earned second-team All-Academy League honors.

?

BRIAN WALDRON

Costa Mesa, sophomore

One of the smaller players in the area was consistent at second base. Waldron played an instrumental role in Costa Mesa coming close to winning its first league championship since 1978. He led the team with a .391 batting average, scored 21 runs, homered twice, drove in 21 runs, and was seven for seven in stolen-base attempts. He earned first-team All-Orange Coast League honors.

?

GABE SANCHEZ

Costa Mesa, senior

Sanchez returns to the Dream Team for the second straight year as an outfielder. Most of his numbers improved from last year, much of it having to do with leaving the leadoff spot for the No. 5 spot. Sanchez hit .367 with 26 RBIs, stole 11 bases in 11 tries, doubled seven times, tripled three times and homered twice. He earned first-team All-Orange Coast League honors.

?

JOHN DOERING

Corona del Mar, junior

Doering was constantly on base for Corona del Mar. He led the team with a .347 batting average, stole 25 bases in 30 attempts, walked 18 times, and boasted a .484 on-base percentage. Twice Doering stole three bases in a game, and his best game at the plate was going three for three against Laguna Hills. He earned second-team All-Pacific Coast League honors.

?

KEVIN HOLLAND

Corona del Mar, senior

The second baseman was one of the steadier players during a rebuilding year in which Corona del Mar missed the postseason for the first time during Coach John Emme’s 11 years. Holland batted .319 with 14 RBIs, doubled five times, tripled, scored 12 runs and was nine of 10 in stolen-base attempts. Holland might walk on at Duke University next year. He earned first-team All-Pacific Coast League honors.

?

DUSTY ORRANTIA

Sage Hill, sophomore

Orrantia was a rare catcher on the high school level as he called practically every pitch behind the plate. The staff’s numbers — an ERA of 2.67 with 145 strikeouts in 144 innings — showed why Coach Andy Berglund gave Orrantia such authority. Orrantia threw out more than 50% of runners attempting to steal. He hit .333 with 10 RBIs and scored 20 runs. He earned second-team All-Academy League honors.

?

PATRICK BRENNAN

Newport Harbor, senior

The left-hander pitched in the tough Sunset League and performed admirably, notching a victory and a save against Esperanza and a save against Fountain Valley. The University of Pennsylvania-bound Brennan finished 2-7 with a 4.13 ERA, struck out 48 in 64 1/3 innings, and threw three complete games. His best performance came when he struck out seven in a one-hit shutout against West Valley. He received honorable mention in all-league voting.

?

ANDREW MILLIAN

Costa Mesa, senior

Millian, an outfielder/pitcher, has been with Coach Jim Kiefer since the start, seeing Costa Mesa’s transformation into a contender the last two years. Millian hit .326 with 25 RBIs, three home runs, scored 26 runs, and stole six bases in six attempts. As a right-handed pitcher, he went 4-4 with a 4.97 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 50 2/3 innings. He was afforded first-team All-Orange Coast League recognition.

?

DANNY MOSKOVITS

Corona del Mar, junior

Moskovits makes the Dream Team this year as a third baseman after making it as a pitcher in 2007. Emme said shoulder and elbow issues forced Moskovits off the mound before the season started, but Moskovits found other ways to contribute. He led the team with three home runs and 16 RBIs, and hit .333 and doubled six times. He garnered second-team All-Pacific Coast League recognition.

DAVID CARRILLO PEÑALOZA may be reached at (714) 966-4612 or at david.carrillo@latimes.com.