Sailors Bay-sball victors

NEWPORT BEACH — In his eighth stop, at the seventh school of his 14-year high school baseball coaching career, first-year baseball coach Patrick Murphy says he is completely comfortable in Newport Harbor blue.

But when you’re 7-0 for the first time in, well, arguably forever, and you’ve just thumped Back Bay rival Corona del Mar, as the Sailors did in a nonleague doubleheader sweep Tuesday, what’s not to love?

“I feel at home here,” said Murphy, after watching the Tars cruise to a 16-4 win in Game 2, after producing an 11-5 triumph in the opener. “I really like being a Sailor. I love the campus, I love teaching here and the baseball program suits me really well. The kids are incredible and to have the support of the parents and the community that we have, I couldn’t ask for more.”

That community support was enhanced by the host Sailors effectiveness at the plate, on the mound, on the bases and in the field Tuesday.

It was the Sailors’ fourth straight win over Corona del Mar (2-5), which with three CIF Southern Section titles, including one in 2005 and another in 1999, has long been the Newport-Mesa program of record.

“They’ve got some athletes,” CdM Coach John Emme said of the unbeaten Sailors, who begin Sunset League play Friday against visiting Fountain Valley at 3:15 p.m. “They are a senior team and we knew they were probably going to be better than us this year. But that goes around.”

The Tars batted around in back-to-back innings in the second game, after more than doubling CdM’s run production in the opener, despite having exactly half as many hits.

But CdM helped dilute its 14-hit production in the opener by hitting into three double plays.

Further, CdM bolstered Newport’s seven-hit attack by issuing four walks, hitting six Sailors hitters and committing three errors.

CdM pitchers produced five walks and hit another four batters in the second game, in which the Sailors lashed 17 hits.

But CdM hitters kept pace for four innings of the opener, managing leads of 1-0 and 4-3, before the hosts broke a 5-5 deadlock with four runs in the fourth inning.

The Sailors’ outburst included an extra-base barrage that featured a two-run home run by sophomore first baseman Matt Carpenter and a solo dinger by senior designated hitter Ryan Albert, the very next batter.

The Sailors’ fourth began with doubles by senior catcher Blake Davey and senior shortstop Austin Wobrock.

Wobrock had three doubles on the day, going four for six combined with three runs batted in, four runs and two stolen bases.

Davey was four for four in the second game to finish five for six on the day. He scored five times and drove in two.

Carpenter was a combined two for three with three RBIs, four runs and two steals.

“We hit the ball extremely well today, all over the yard and scored a lot of runs,” Davey said. “It made it easier for our pitchers to throw strikes.”

Newport pitchers fared much better than their CdM counterparts.

Junior Max Gerard earned the victory in the opener, lasting four innings. He allowed 11 hits, but only two earned runs.

Albert followed, allowing three hits in two scoreless innings, while senior Dillan Freiberg finished with a scoreless seventh inning.

Sophomore starter Chase Kapana set the tone for Sailor pitchers in the second game, striking out the first four he faced in his two scoreless innings. On a staff day (several pitchers being used in a doubleheader coming off a week of tournament play), Kapana earned the win, his third in as many decisions this season.

Senior Jack Grace (no hits allowed) and junior Austin Rios (just one hit surrendered) each contributed two scoreless relief innings, before CdM scored four in the seventh to avert the Game 2 shutout.

CdM, which burned sophomore ace Andrew McCormack on Saturday and will start him in the Pacific Coast League opener Friday at Irvine, used nine pitchers on the day, six in the second game.

“That wasn’t much fun at all,” Emme said. “When Coach Murphy talked about [playing a doubleheader], I kind of knew the position we were in. We just don’t have the pitching depth for this.”

Senior second baseman Jacob McCann had a home run and an RBI double in the second game, contributing to eight doubles and 11 extra-base hits on the day for the Sailors.

CdM senior center fielder Brian Ford, in his first action after starring for the section and regional champion boys’ soccer team, went three for three with an RBI and a stolen base in the opener. Ford sat out Game 2.

Junior designated hitter Will Morrow went three for three for Corona del Mar in the opener, while Beau Attyah, Parker Werline, Brian Hurst, Josh Harrison and Andrew Machoskie all had two hits on the day for the Sea Kings.

Nonleague

Game 2

Newport Harbor 16, Corona del Mar 4

SCORE BY INNINGS

Salam, Murtaugh (3), Borchard (3), Hurst (4), Werline (5), Cubiero (6) and Cubiero, White (6); Kapana, Grace (3), Rios (5), Jones (7) and Guerin. W – Kapana, 3-0. L – Salam, 0-2. 2 Wobrock (NH), Cashion (CdM), McCann (NH), Lowery (NH), Guerin (NH), Harrison (CdM). HR – McCann (NH).

Game 1

Newport Harbor 11, Corona del Mar 5

SCORE BY INNINGS

Morris, Cashion (4), Hastings (6) and Attyah; Gerard, Albert (5), Freiberg (7) and Davey. W – Gerard, 1-0. L – Cashion, 0-1. 2B – Guerin (NH), Wobrock (NH) 2, Davey (NH), Werline (CdM), Ford (CdM).

HR – Carpenter (NH), Albert (NH).