Tars ride momentum

For Steve Virgen’s blog, click here.

For a photo gallery, click here.

NEWPORT BEACH — It’s fair to say that Nick Vlahakis has gotten his wish granted.

Moments after helping Newport Harbor High to a 7-4 win over South Hills of West Covina Tuesday afternoon, the Sailors senior pitcher said who he wanted in the final of the Beach Pit Classic.

“I want to take on Fountain Valley again,” Vlahakis said of facing the Barons, who, at the time, were tied, 5-5, with Back Bay rival Corona del Mar in the sixth inning. “I want to shut them down again. I got the win against them and I want another one.”

Who knows if Vlahakis will take the mound today, but one thing’s for sure, his confidence is a sample of the Sailors’ feeling after scoring their fifth win in six games.

Today, they’ll take their momentum in against Sunset League foe Fountain Valley to try to win the Beach Pit Classic championship at CdM at 2 p.m. Vlahakis earned his first win of the season against the Barons Thursday when Newport Harbor (6-8) edged Fountain Valley, 3-2.

Starter Scott Ward also contributed to the win. The senior did the same against South Hills (10-5), which reached the CIF Southern Section Division III final last year. The Huskies are ranked No. 7 in Division III.

Ward pitched four innings, allowing one earned run and five hits. He struck out three. Vlahakis came on in the fifth with runners on first and second. He played a bunt badly to load the bases, but allowed just two runs after that, getting a batter to hit into a double play and then striking out another to end the inning. Vlahakis then allowed two hits, shutting out the Huskies in the final two innings.

South Hills’ two runs in the top of fifth tied the score, 4-4. But Newport Harbor answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame.

Blake Davey homered to center field to lead off the inning. Then Dan Hurley and Cody Green followed with singles to set up designated hitter Ryan Albert, who went two for three.

Albert singled to right, but the ball proved a bit tricky for the South Hills right fielder, whose error led to Hurley and Green to score.

“Our guys are not quitters,” Newport Harbor Coach Evan Chalmers said. “They have established a lot of confidence at the plate. I think that’s paid off. They’re buying into our approach.”

Dillan Freiberg certainly showed that. He slugged a home run to right field in the fourth. Alex Rios, Newport Harbor’s senior first baseman, went two for three with a walk, a double and an RBI. Green and Frieberg scored two runs.

“We beat [Fountain Valley] last week,” Davey said. “... But we’re not going into this game [today] overconfident.”

Beach Pit Classic

Semifinal

Newport Harbor 7, South Hills 4

SCORE BY INNINGS

Morales, France (4), Ibarra (5) and Doyle; Ward, Vlahakis (5) and Davey. W – Vlahakis, 2-2. L – Morales, 2-1. 2B – France (SH), Ibarra (SH); Rios (NH). HR – Freiberg (NH), Davey (NH).