HUNTINGTON BEACH — In a league where runs aren’t always easy to come by, games are often won by the team that gets good defense and pitching.
The Laguna Beach baseball team got both in a 4-1 victory over Marina in a Wave League game Wednesday at Marina High School.
All four teams in the league went into Wednesday with 2-2 league records.
After Wednesday’s action, the Breakers (10-10, 3-2) and Corona del Mar (12-8, 3-2) are tied for first and the Vikings (9-12, 2-3) and Newport Harbor (8-12, 2-3) are tied for second.
Laguna Beach pitcher Logan Pointon gave up a run on four hits with three strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings in the Breakers’ 4-1 victory over Marina in a Wave League game Wednesday, April 10. (Photo by Lou Ponsi)
Breakers starter pitcher Logan Pointon gave up an RBI single to Cash Thompson in the first inning before shutting out Marina into the fifth. The Breakers’ 6-foot-7 left-hander Sam Burchi came in and shut out the Vikings the rest of the way.
“We’re very fortunate to have a very deep pitching staff,” Laguna Beach assistant coach Austin Paxson said. “Those guys along with our other two starters have proven that they can go deep and give you multiple innings, not just one or two innings. They can push it three, four, five innings. And I thought they both did a good job of coming in with a mindset of I’m going to attack and make them beat us.”
When the Vikings had runners on second and third with one out in the third, Pointon, who was making his first start of the season, retried the next two hitters on a flyout and a strikeout.
“I’m normally a closer,” Pointon said. “Whenever I go in, I’ve got guys on third and second.”
Pointon also drove in the Breakers’ first run with a single in the third.
Burchi pitched out of trouble with runners in scoring position in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
The senior picked a runner off third for the final out in the fifth and threw a runner out attempting to make it to third on a failed sacrifice bunt attempt in the sixth.
“You have to really go after them and have them hit the ball and have your defense behind you back you up,” said Burchi, who averaged 8.2 points per game for the Breakers’ basketball team. “I trust my people out there. I know they got my back. I got their back. And it’s a game of trust.”
Leadoff hitter Becker Sybirski went 2 for 3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Breakers.
Laguna Beach and Marina play for the third and final time in the regular season Friday at Laguna Beach
The Breakers defeated Marina 3-1 on Tuesday at Laguna Beach, so regardless of the outcome of Friday’s contest, the Breakers have clinched the series between the squads.
Laguna Beach then closes out the regular season with three-game series against Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor, respectively, while the Vikings finish against the Sailors and Sea Kings, respectively.
“Every game is important and we’re chasing every game like it’s the most important game,” Paxson said.
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