Cosner comes up big

BY TONY LEE

COSTA MESA — When public speakers get nervous, they’re told to picture the crowd naked. When it comes to nervous 11-12-year-old Little Leaguers, the advice is pretty much the same.

“[Kage Kistler] was very nervous so I told him to think about the hottest chick that he could,” Costa Mesa National Little League All-Stars Manager Mark Roginson said. “And he singled. He singled to tie the game.”

The advice carried over to CMNLL’s Zack Cosner and with thoughts of Megan Fox, the prettiest girl in Cosner’s eyes, he hit the game-winning single to the outfield and gave the National All-Stars the annual Mayor’s Cup, winning, 6-5, in the bottom of the sixth at TeWinkle Intermediate Tuesday.

“I really can’t explain it — it was awesome,” he said of when his teammates dog piled him after his hit that capped a five-run rally. “I didn’t think it was the bottom of the sixth. I thought it was only the bottom of the fifth inning.”

Up to the final inning, the Costa Mesa American All-Stars held a 5-1 lead and compiled a full box score with six hits, seven walks, five hit batsmen and a strong, five-inning pitching performance by Daniel Morales with three strikeouts.

“I mean we should’ve won that game,” American All-Stars Coach Jack Morales said. “But we left about 15 runners on base.”

But Roginson told the kids to keep their energy up and reminded them they’ve scored seven runs in an inning against their rivals before.

The National All-Stars responded as Daniel Neff led off the bottom of the sixth with an infield single, Cody Nelson followed with a double, and Hunter Roginson drove both of them in with a two RBI single.

The final three runs were driven in by Kistler and Cosner.

“They’re upset,” Jack Morales said of his team. “I just told them that I was proud to be able to coach them in the All-Stars this year.”

Mark Roginson shared similar feelings.

“I feel bad for them,” he said. “That’s a tough way to lose a game. They were up the whole game. I know the kids are disappointed, but they played a good game. They should be proud.”

The game started off as a pitchers duel, but in the top of the third inning, the CMALL All-Stars led off the inning with three-straight base-runners.

After the National’s starting pitcher Cody Nelson struck out the American’s Keith Marshall, Nelson allowed a RBI single to AJ Axtell, a RBI walk to William Leiby and another RBI single to Mickey Beliakoff before getting out of the inning, trailing 3-0.

The National All-Stars immediately responded with a RBI double by Cosner, but didn’t score another run until its sixth-inning rally.

Even though Costa Mesa American lost the Mayor’s Cup, Jack Morales said this has been a great year and they are a classy group of kids that’s he’s proud of.

“My attitude on coaching is if the only thing you teach a kid is how to play baseball, then you’re not doing your job,” Jack Morales said. “I felt like we grew together as a team this year and I thought it was a good experience for all of us.”

Mark Roginson also said it’s been a great year.

“The whole Little League experience has been tremendous,” he said. “Even when I had kids driving me nuts and I was tired, it’s been a wonderful thing. We’re going to miss Little League, but we’re looking forward to Pony.”