Baseball (15-12, 13-2) Orange Coast League Champions
Laguna’s first game with Calvary last week started badly as the Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the game played at Skipper Carrillo Field on Tuesday, May 10. Breakers walked the first batter, allowed a run on a scoring error and another on a single and soon found themselves down 3-0 after just a half inning of play in a must-win game.
Breakers came back with one run in the first (Dante Faicchio scoring off a Will McInerny single) followed by two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game. Those runs came off back-to-back doubles by Connor Basile and Dustin Angus to clearly swing the momentum back to Laguna. The pressure-packed sixth inning was capped with Dante’s singling home the winning run.
Pitcher Ashton Goddard (2.16 era) had his rough moments, but managed to complete 5 2/3 innings of work giving up four hits and striking out four. Jack Loechner came in to complete the sixth inning and received the win. Blake Burzell pitched the seventh for the save and series victory over the Eagles assuring Laguna a home game in the playoffs.
Laguna’s outright capture of their fourth straight league crown came on Thursday as the team won a 1-0 thriller from the Eagles at Vanguard University. Jack Simon scored the only run in the top of the seventh inning from another timely Dante Faicchio hit. Blake Burzell pitched five innings allowing two hits, three walks striking out four with John Ogden completing the sixth inning and taking the win. The tense seventh inning was handled by senior Will McInerny with a strikeout and a game-ending double play.
Breakers have now won five pennants in the last six years, but only eight overall in 78 seasons of baseball at Laguna. The Division 4 playoffs started this past Thursday, May 19, with a 3 p.m. game at Guyer Field facing Savanna. If the Breakers win Thursday, the next game is Tuesday, May 24.
Updated D4 schedule and results can be found @ www.cifss.org .
Baseball notes:
Laguna is making their 12th post-season playoff and they hold a 10-11 all-time record
Mike Bair is now 106-34 as the Laguna skipper- best record all-time in Laguna baseball
15 wins this season is tied for seventh all-time in season victories.
Individual Game and season stats are posted on the Laguna baseball site at Maxpreps.com
