Newport gains section berth, 16-13

Steve Virgen

With a bid to earn the final spot in the District 2 Bronco Section

Tournament, the Newport Harbor Baseball Association All-Stars made

their huge statement in the seventh inning Sunday at Harvard Park.

They scored six runs and came from behind to defeat La Mirada,

16-13, finishing third in the District 2 Bronco All-Star Tournament

of 11- and 12-year-olds.

“That was heart,” NHBA Manager Ron D’Cruz said of his team’s

winning performance. “We made some errors, and so did (La Mirada).

But we came up with some clutch hitting. (The win) has everything to

do with attitude. At the 11-12 age level it’s pretty much evenly

matched. It’s just heart and desire that leads to the win.”

Danny Moskovits showed plenty of desire, as he hammered out his

second and third home runs of the season. First, he sent a two-run

shot over the right-centerfield fence in the first inning for a 3-0

lead. Then, with two out and R.J. D’Cruz and Peter Hapke aboard,

Moskovits smacked a first pitch over left field for a three-run blast

that tied the score, 10-10, in the top of the fifth.

La Mirada answered with a run in the bottom of the fifth, and NHBA

exploded in the top of the seventh.

The NHBA All-Stars batted around in the seventh. Brock Schuler,

who pitched the final three innings, scored, as did Hapke, R.J.

D’Cruz, Moskovits, Niko Hernandez and Troy Seber.

Schuler led off the inning with a walk, Hapke reached on an

infield error and D’Cruz loaded the bases with blooper to right

center for a single. With one out, Moskovits sent a hard-hit ground

ball toward first base, that went off the glove of the La Mirada

first baseman. Schuler and Hapke came around to score. Ben Frazier

collected an RBI groundout. Hernandez, who played in left field,

singled to right for another RBI, and Nick Svendsen secured the

victory with a two-run double to the right field corner.

“The kids never gave up,” Ron D’Cruz said. “That’s evidenced by

their performance ( Sunday), and (Saturday), we scored 11 runs in the

fourth to mercy Anaheim B, which also showed heart.”

The NHBA All-Stars opened the game with a 4-0 lead. They also

scored three runs in the third and three runs in the fifth, while La

Mirada led 5-4 after the first and went on to score one run in the

second, three in the third and one in each of the fourth and fifth

innings. La Mirada also posted two more runs in the seventh, but that

was not enough.

Moskovits finished 4 for 4 and also reached on an error in the

third. He scored four runs and earned seven RBIs. In addition,

Moskovits served duty on the mound for the first four innings,

logging 95 pitches and recording three strikeouts.

“Everyone was hitting well,” Ron D’Cruz said. “From (the batting

lineup) 1 through 9, everyone did their part.”

Hapke, the leadoff hitter, scored three runs, R.J. D’Cruz scored

twice and collected two hits. Erik Bonn scored and earned an RBI

single in the first inning. Frazier roped a towering fly ball to

center field for a ground-rule doule in the first. Seeber finished

with a hit, an RBI and a run scored.