Newport rally not enough

Rick Devereux

The come-from-behind effort by the Newport Beach American Little

League 11-year-old All-Star team was impressive, but ultimately, the

squad fell short of victory in a 7-5 elimination-game loss to San

Clemente Wednesday in the District 55 tournament at the Wagon Wheel

Sports Park.

Down, 7-1, in the third inning, Newport Beach collected four runs

on four hits, including a two-run home run by first baseman Weston

Nielsen, to close the gap, but San Clemente pitcher Tyler Grove shut

down Newport in the final three innings.

“[Grove] is a big, strong kid,” Newport Manager Tom Morris said.

“He was a big reason San Clemente won.”

Grove scattered seven hits through six innings while striking out

six.

Bruce Bearer got the third-inning rally started for Newport Beach

(2-2) with a single over the third baseman’s head. Mitch Gardner hit

a line drive that ricocheted off Grove’s left foot and ended up in

right field, sending Bearer all the way to third. Bearer scored on a

passed ball and Gardner crossed the plate on Brennan Anderson’s

chopper into center field. Two batters later, Nielsen bombed the

first pitch he saw over the right-center-field fence more than 200

feet away.

“[Nielsen] did what he was supposed to do,” San Clemente Manager

John Tully said. “He saw a high fastball and the big guy smacked it

out of here.”

Morris said he was pleased with the team’s resiliency while down,

something they have shown throughout the tournament.

“We were down in the first game and came back [to win, 13-9],”

Morris said. “We were down in the third game and came back [to win,

15-6]. We’ve been the comeback kids this whole tournament but our

comeback was a little short today. It’s tough. We tried our hardest.”

San Clemente had nothing but respect for Newport Beach following

the game.

“It was easy to tell they are a well-coached team with a good

group of kids and supportive parents in the stands,” Tully said.

“That’s what Little League is all about because only one in a million

will reach the big leagues. But building self-confidence is something

these kids will take with them forever.”