Youth Baseball: Pirates fan 15 in T of C loss
HUNTINGTON BEACH — The Costa Mesa National Little League Minor B Pirates might have had their season ended Tuesday night in the District 62 Tournament of Champions, but they certainly looked professional doing so.
Or, if not professional, at least about a decade older than the ages of the 8- to 10-year-olds on the squad.
The Pirates wore blue and orange uniforms and borrowed the logo of the Orange Coast College baseball team, but it went beyond that. Earlier this season, Costa Mesa National Manager Steve Cirillo said some of the OCC players helped run a Minor B Pirates practice. In turn, the kids came to check out a couple of OCC home games.
“We try to stay as local as we can,” Cirillo said. “We just try to keep the kids having fun with baseball so they come back next year.”
“Next year” came sooner than the locals would have liked as they lost to the Seaview Little League Riverdogs, 3-1, to end their season in a TOC quarterfinal at Wardlow Park.
The Pirates, who won the Costa Mesa National Little League Minor B title, took the lead in the top of the first against Seaview thanks to Logan Glabb. The leadoff hitter walked, stole second and third base and came around to score on a wild pitch.
Seaview, though, would score twice in the bottom of the third. Noah Hunter had the big two-run single to left. Then Hunter was at it again in the bottom of the fifth, recording his third run batted in. Another single to left scored Jack DesJardins, who had led off the inning with a double.
The three hits were all that were allowed by Pirates pitchers Camden Cirillo, Max McNiff and Cole Lefebvre, who combined to record 15 strikeouts, striking out the side in every frame. McNiff pitched the longest, coming on the bottom of the second to get out of a bases-loaded jam with a strikeout and pitching through the fourth, when he was relieved by Lefebvre.
Still, Seaview was able to advance to the Minor B District 62 semifinals, where they will play either Costa Mesa American or Huntington Valley on Thursday.
Seaview pitchers Luke Jenner, Hunter and Jake Estrin combined to no-hit Costa Mesa National, which had beaten Fountain Valley, 11-1, on Saturday to advance to this point. Cooper Cirillo had a home run for Costa Mesa National in Saturday’s victory.
“We couldn’t hit the ball today,” said Steve Cirillo, adding that he was missing one of his best hitters, Mata Grey-Uiagalelei, who was out with a 102-degree fever. “But you know, it happens. They had some good pitching. We had a fantastic season.”
After Seaview took the 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third, the Pirates had a great chance to come back in the top of the fourth. Lefebvre led off with a walk, and stole second and third. Two outs later, Zack Plummer and Cooper Cirillo also walked, loading the bases. But Seaview’s Hunter was able to induce an inning-ending strikeout.
Gannon Fox and Vincent Pimintel also reached base via walk for the Costa Mesa Pirates, who also got contributions from catcher Dorrian Ramirez, West Shaia and Matt Scanaliato.
“Our season was really great,” Ramirez said. “We made it really far. Everyone at least got a couple of home runs.”
Steve Cirillo said he was proud of everyone on the team. Plummer and Fox were first-year baseball players.
The youngsters did not appear to be taking their loss too harshly. Minutes after they were eliminated, many of them began wrestling with each other in center field.
“They recover pretty quick,” Steve Cirillo said.
