NHBA Bronco: NHBA All-Stars win opener

Tony Altobelli

LOS ALAMITOS - The Newport Harbor Baseball Association Bronco

Division (ages 11-12) “A” All-Star team opened its summer schedule on the

right foot, defeating Whittier, 5-0, Saturday in the 2000 Los Alamitos

Fish Fry Tournament.

“It was a good opener for us,” Manager Kevin Heenan said. “Our pitching

was very good today and we got the hits we needed to win.”

The all-star trio of Kurt Yacko, Davis Pemstein and Kevin Heenan allowed

a total of four hits and six strikeouts in the shutout win. In fact, only

one Whittier player reached third base the entire game and only one

batter reached base past the fourth inning.

Newport got all the runs it would need in the first inning. After Donny

Hoyt led off the game with a walk and a stolen base, Heenan ripped a

double to left-center field, scoring Hoyt. Two batters later, Heenan

scored on an RBI single by Billy Munce.

Newport would make it 3-0 in the second inning when Dustin Schuler

reached on a single and later scored on a Whittier error.

Yacko doubled and scored in the third inning on an Alec Martinez single,

making it, 4-0.

Whittier kept it close with some solid pitching and key defensive plays

in the fourth and fifth.

In the fifth, after Hunt scored another run for a 5-0 lead, Newport had

runners on first and second with no outs. On a double-steal attempt,

Munce laced a shot right to the Whittier third baseman, who turned it

into a triple play.

“What are you going to do?” the elder Heenan said. “It was just one of

those things. Billy hit a shot, but it was right at him.”

Schuler and Yacko each had two hits for Newport. “If we continue with our

solid pitching and timely defense, we’ll be all right,” Heenan said. “Our

infield is very strong and our outfield play is coming around.”

Newport continues round-robin tournament play against Fountain Valley

Thursday at 6 p.m.

“I think Fountain Valley and Anaheim will be very strong in this

tournament,” Heenan said. “It should be exciting.”

The top four teams from each bracket in the tournament play against each

other, beginning June 26.

“Hopefully, we can end up in the top four,” Heenan said. “There’s a bunch

of good teams in our bracket, but if we play like we’re capable of

playing, we’ll be fine. Good pitching, timely hitting and solid defense,

just like for any baseball team.”