Sea Kings fall apart late

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CORONA DEL MAR — Six outs are how many Corona del Mar High needed to turn the Beach Pit Classic into a Back Bay baseball championship.

The Sea Kings had to get nine and they ran out of lives Tuesday.

Errors in the final three innings allowed Fountain Valley to rally for a 9-8 road victory in an extra-inning semifinal decided in the eighth.

Instead of a Battle of the Bay, today’s final is a battle between two Sunset League programs.

Fountain Valley (7-7) faces Newport Harbor (6-8) at 2 p.m. at CdM, where the Sea Kings (8-6) planned to return home to play their rivals, the Sailors.

The Barons ruined that opportunity and the Sea Kings’ six-game winning streak. It’s easy to understand how they dropped CdM, ranked No. 10 in the CIF Southern Section Division III coaches’ poll, into today’s third-place game at 11 a.m. against No. 7 South Hills of West Covina.

“We played horrible defense,” said CdM Coach John Emme, referring to the eight errors, four committed in the last three innings. “We gave them all sorts of runs.

“The defense is what got us here [after a 2-5 start], turned our season around. It shows you how quick that can go away. That’s just unacceptable play in the field for us, for anyone.”

CdM hurt its chances of returning to the Beach Pit Classic championship game for the second time in three seasons.

The downfall began in the sixth. Leading 5-2, Fountain Valley struggled manufacturing any runs against starter Steven Manning since a two-run, first-inning.

Manning found himself out of the game after almost giving up his second home run in the sixth.

Danny Jimenez led off with a solo home run to right-center field. Three batters later, it looked like Eddie Alvarez tagged a two-run homer to right. The ball appeared to hit the top of the fence, the yellow surface, and returned into play.

The umpires didn’t rule it a homer. The Sea Kings weren’t so lucky afterward.

With CdM up, 5-4, Michael Bloom relieved Manning. After walking the first batter, the right-hander induced a hard grounder to second base for an inning-ending double play.

One problem, though. The throw to second went wide, toward the line in left field, and Fountain Valley tied the game.

Bloom (0-2) dodged back-to-back bases-loaded jams and got out of the inning.

The miscues continued in the seventh, yet the Barons failed to capitalize again with the bases loaded. Just like the previous inning, two consecutive batters swung at Bloom’s first offering and the result was an out each time.

“I want them to be aggressive,” Fountain Valley Coach Joe MacDonald said of his batters. “I don’t want them to sit back. Get after it. Take our chances.”

CdM escaped unscathed in the seventh. Not for long.

An error on a grounder in the eighth put the leadoff batter on for Fountain Valley. Kevin Osaki gave the Barons a 6-5 lead with a double into the gap in right-center field.

An intentional walk, followed by an infield single loaded the bases again.

The next CdM reliever trying to avoid damage almost succeeded.

Nick Couchot got the next batter to pop-up to first base. The hitter was out due to the infield fly rule, but the first baseman caught the ball and fired a throw to third to get the runner out.

The throw never made it to third, more into foul territory. A run scored, pushing the Barons’ lead to 7-5, after the Sea Kings’ fourth error in three innings.

Two straight singles made it a 9-5 game, almost out of reach.

The Sea Kings in the bottom of the eighth put a scare into Fountain Valley. Danny Moskovits’ grounder was mishandled, a run scored. Another run on Bloom’s single to right field, and Will Morrow’s groundout drove in a run.

Down one and with runners on the corners and two outs, Jimenez, in his second inning in relief, ended CdM’s comeback attempt.

A groundout gave him the victory.

“It would’ve been fun,” Emme said of a Back Bay title game at the Beach Pit Classic, “but we’re not in it.”

Beach Pit Classic

Semifinal

Fountain Valley 9, Corona del Mar 8

SCORE BY INNINGS

McCarthy, Pham (4), Ball (5), Jimenez (7) and Alvarez, Robb (6); Manning, Bloom (6), Couchot (8) and Attyah. W – Jimenez. L – Bloom, 0-2. 2B – Osaki (FV), McCarthy (FV), Clouse (FV). HR – Jimenez (FV), Moskovits (CdM).

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