Locals showed promise in run

The Laguna Beach Little League All-Stars ventured where no other Majors Division team had gone this decade: four games into the District 55 All-Star Tournament.

Laguna’s spirited run in the tournament came to an end July 3 in an 11-5 loss to Lake Forest in an elimination game for both teams at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo.

Coach Bill Burk said no Laguna Majors All-Star team had won two games in the event since “at least” 2000.

“We just had one bad inning,” he said of the loss to Lake Forest that forced the Laguna players to hang up their cleats for the summer. “They had some good hits and got some walks to take control early.”

Lake Forest bolted to a 7-0 lead but to his players’ credit, Burk said his team “didn’t roll over.”

“With the exception of that first inning, we outscored them 5-4,” he said. “That’s what I liked most about our performance, that we didn’t quit when we could have. I was proud of the boys.”

Laguna also had bases loaded situations in both the fifth and sixth innings but couldn’t complete any type of rally.

“We just didn’t execute in those situations like we should have,” Burk said. “Had we, it could have been a different outcome.”

Elijah Cassard and Garrett Burk had two hits each to pace Laguna’s offense. Robert Clemons, Brett Dunlavey and Adam Farsheed also had hits.

Laguna opened the All-Star season June 28 with a 15-0 rout of South Irvine. The locals then suffered a 20-0 mercy-rule defeat the following day to Aliso Viejo National, but bounced back to play what Bill Burk dubbed “our best game all year as a group,” a 3-1 victory July 1 over Saddleback.

“The highlight to me was that 3-1 win after we were mercied 20-0,” he said. “We could have folded after that loss but these kids didn’t do that. They fought back and played well.

“This is a great group of kids who care about baseball. I was quite happy with our performances, overall.”

The Laguna Beach Little League All-Stars are: Dakota Holm, Richie Nunis, Robert Clemons, Garrett Burk, Cameron Hall, Morgan Lebby, Derek Strombotne, Elijah Cassard, Adam Rodner, Brett Dunlavey, Adam Farsheed, Sundance Severino, alternates Sam Wogulis, Andrew Victor and Barrett Thornton, Coach Bill Burk and assistants Keith Perry and Robert Clemons.

MIKE SCIACCA covers sports. He can be reached at (949) 494-4321 or by e-mail at [email protected].