Baseball/Softball: Breakers extend league streak to 42
A big loss to one of its key players didn’t stop the Laguna Beach High baseball team from continuing its winning ways in Orange Coast League play.
The Breakers put their OCL record at 8-0 and pushed their record league winning streak to 42 games by routing host Saddleback Tuesday, 12-1. A six-run outburst in the top of the first sent them on their way to their second win this season against the Roadrunners.
Junior Alex Baker’s big game included a double among three hits, three RBIs and two runs scored, and senior Callan Cochran pounded out three hits, drove in a run and scored twice in four trips to the plate. Senior Jake Smith went two for three (double, two runs) with two RBIs, junior Zak Kovacic two for four with two RBIs, and senior Cole Coscino had an RBI. Junior Jack Simon, sophomore Dante Faicchio and freshman Jeff Bruyntjens each doubled.
Freshman right-hander Blake Burzell (3-3) threw four innings to get the win, allowing three hits, three walks and an earned run to go with five strikeouts. Junior left-hander John Ogden finished on the mound.
Saddleback dipped to 1-7 in league.
“We did our job, and that’s what we had set out to do,” Laguna Coach Mike Bair said of the performance. “We have a saying that you beat the game, not the opponent. I’d say, overall, it was a good game for us.”
Laguna goes for a series sweep against Saddleback when it host the Roadrunners at 3:15 p.m. Friday. The Breakers won the first meeting between the teams, 14-0, March 24.
Tuesday’s game was Laguna’s first since losing all-league player Will McInerny to injury late last week.
The junior, the Breakers’ starting catcher, suffered a broken pinkie finger on his right hand (throwing arm) in the early stages of an April 16 league game at Costa Mesa. Bair said McInerny suffered the injury on a hit-and-run attempt by the Mustangs.
Junior Connor Basile, who started at catcher on last year’s junior varsity team and had several innings under his belt this year, took over for McInerny. The Breakers led the entire way against the Mustangs and went on to take a 7-3 victory.
Coscino started at catcher Tuesday against Saddleback. Bair said the senior will take the starting spot the remainder of the season.
Bair called McInerny’s injury, which he said will keep him out of action for 4-6 weeks, a “huge blow.”
McInerny batted in the No. 3 slot in the Laguna lineup.
“He was our No. 1 pitcher, our No. 1 catcher, and one of our top hitters,” Bair said. “I told the kids afterward that it was unfortunate. But, oddly, it’s situations such as these that can draw teams closer. Everybody needs to step up their game in Will’s absence, and I think our guys are eager to do that.”
Laguna managed six hits against Costa Mesa. Burzell singled, walked twice and had two RBIs, Bruyntjens singled with an RBI, Faicchio (walk) had two RBIs, senior Anthony Norelli doubled and walked with an RBI, sophomore Henry Schineller doubled and walked, Baker and Coscino both singled, and McInerny walked in his only at-bat.
Laguna took the league series against the Mustangs, 3-0.
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Softball
The Breakers were in Orange Coast League softball action Tuesday and dropped a 17-2 decision at Estancia. The loss put the Breakers at 0-3 in league and 0-11 overall. They lost their previous league game, 19-9, against Saddleback April 16.
Laguna played a league game Thursday against Calvary Chapel. The score wasn’t available at press time.
Next week, the Breakers host Godinez Tuesday and Costa Mesa Thursday, both games starting at 4 p.m. at Thurston Middle School.
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CIF Weekly Baseball Rankings
Laguna Beach (No. 6, Division 4).
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Twitter: @MikeSciacca