Defense paving way for Majors

After three District 55 All-Star Tournament games, the dream was still alive Wednesday for the Laguna Beach Little League All-Star team.

Coach Bill Burk’s squad remained in the hunt for a district title after recording a 3-1 victory Tuesday over Saddleback in an elimination game at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo.

Burk “” whose squad played another elimination game against Lake Forest on Thursday night, the result of which wasn’t available at press time “” said several things figured into Tuesday’s win, but one area stood out most.

“Our fantastic defense,” he said. “Usually, Laguna teams have problems with defense in postseason play, but that wasn’t the case in this game.”

Burk noted the “great plays” turned in by Dakota Holm, who made three at third base, Garrett Burk with four at shortstop, Sundance Severino with a pair at second base, Robert Clemons with a key stop in center field and Richie Nunis, who made an “amazing” snag of a line drive at first base to defuse a potential rally by Saddleback.

“Those plays were instrumental for us,” Burk said. “The difference for us was that we played solid, fundamental baseball and they (Saddleback) made some key errors that ended up costing them the game.”

Elijah Cassard kept Saddleback under wraps with 5 1/3 innings of solid pitching and didn’t give up a run until the top of the sixth. Holm came on in relief with one out in the sixth and shut down Saddleback.

Laguna scored the winning runs in the game when, with two out and Nunis facing an 0-2 count and two runners on base, the Saddleback catcher dropped a pitch and pinch runner Brett Dunlavey stole home. On the same play, a throwing error allowed Clemons, who had singled earlier, to also score.

Key hitting highlights for Laguna saw Nunis double and single, Cassard single twice and Garrett Burk double.

On Sunday, Laguna was saddled with a 20-0 mercy-rule loss to host Aliso Viejo National. But prior to the game, Bill Burk said he noticed three players from Aliso Viejo American’s Tournament of Champions team suited up for Aliso Viejo National’s All-Star team.

Burk said he was told that the league had held a player “re-draft” after the conclusion of the district’s Tournament of Champions two weeks ago.

“It is clear to me that they (Aliso Viejo) created an “A” All-Star team and a “B” All-Star team and that is completely unfair, in my opinion,” said Burk who protested the game before it started and afterward filed a formal complaint to the district.

As of Wednesday morning, he said he still hadn’t been told of the outcome of his protest.

“It was a really bad deal for our kids,” he said. “We have a really good All-Star team but with Aliso Viejo National stocked the way it is with the team they have created, I don’t think that anybody will come close to beating them.”

Laguna showed its mettle, however, by coming back Tuesday to beat Saddleback.

“We came back to play better, and I think it was the best defensive game I’ve seen a Laguna Majors All-Star team ever play,” Burk said of the Saddleback win. “It was fun to watch.”

So was Laguna’s tournament opener Saturday, which saw the locals post an eye-opening 15-0 win over an outmanned South Irvine team.

“I think that this is the first time a Laguna Majors All-Star team has won two tournament games,” Burk said of the South Irvine and Saddleback triumphs. “I know its the first time that I’ve been involved with the Majors Division.”

In the mercy-rule win over South Irvine, Laguna rotated four pitchers. Nunis struck out three of the first four batters he faced, Holm and Cassard each struck out two of three batters they faced and Morgan Lebby also took the mound.

Between them, Burk said the foursome allowed just one hit.

Cameron Hall led Laguna’s big offensive showing with three hits that produced four RBIs. Clemons and Dunlavey each had two hits, Nunis, Cassard and Holm each singled and Garrett Burk delivered a two-run home run in the second inning.

“I don’t think a Laguna team has ever won an All-Star game that big,” Burk said. “It was such a great game for us. People were making the plays in the field, our pitching was impressive and our hitting was outstanding.

“It was a great way to start the tournament.”

The Laguna Beach Little League All-Stars are: Dakota Holm, Richie Nunis, Robert Clemons, Garrett Burk, Cameron Hall, Morgan Lebby, Derek Strombotne, Elijah Cassard, Adam Rodner, Brett Dunlavey, Adam Farsheed, Sundance Severino, alternates Sam Wogulis, Andrew Victor and Barrett Thornton, Coach Bill Burk and assistants Keith Perry and Robert Clemons.

? 10/11 All-Stars Coach Steve Sweet’s team was bumped from the district tournament Tuesday after it lost, 15-1, to Aliso Viejo American in an elimination game at Woodfield Park.

Laguna had been edged, 1-0, by Newport Beach American in a tournament opener Saturday.

The Laguna Beach 10/11 All-Stars are: Ethan Chesley, Andrew Kimball, Shane Chapman, Jordan Watkins, Cole Zarinelli, George Brown, Mason Pitz, Matthew Payne, Elias Medici, Joe Burris, Nathan Sweet, Nickolas Rieckhoff, alternates Cole Hutson, Nicholas LeBars and John Martin, Coach Steve Sweet and assistant Tony Zarinelli.

? Junior League All-Stars

Two days after dropping a tough, one-run game to Rancho Niguel, Laguna was eliminated from district play after a 10-6 loss Monday to South Irvine at Woodfield Park.

Laguna had clawed its way back from a huge 9-0 deficit to make it a game before eventually succumbing.

“I’m very proud of the way we fought back in this game,” Coach Ralph Davis said. “We just ran out of innings.

“Larry Stewart took the mound late, and I thought he settled the game down for us with excellent pitching. Santi Pierini had a ground-rule double and Cameron Hauer gave us excellent base running.”

Laguna also lost a tight game Saturday, falling in the seventh inning to Rancho Niguel, 5-4.

Ricki De La Torre smacked a three-run home run for Laguna, and Davis said that Alex Iannotti provided “excellent” pitching for six innings.

The Laguna Beach Junior All-Stars are: Alex Davis, Santi Pierini, Alex Iannotti, Nort Penney, Cameron Hauer, Cole Kesler, Harrison Williams, Ricki De La Torre, Larry Stewart, Travis Clawson, Kaito Lee, Blake Hester, alternates Andrew Jensen,, Zack Graf and Kristian Rieckhoff and Coach Ralph Davis.

MIKE SCIACCA covers sports. He can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or by e-mail at michael.sciacca@latimes.com.