Irvine Baseball Tournament : Errors Help University; Irvine Also Wins

University High School took advantage of Jason Singer’s wildness and Newport Harbor’s three errors to score seven runs in the third inning of an 8-2 victory in the second round of the Irvine summer baseball tournament Friday at UC Irvine. The loss eliminated the Sailors from the tournament.

In the second game, Irvine beat Tustin, 7-1.

Irvine will play Woodbridge, which drew a bye on Friday, today at 2 p.m. Tustin will face University at 11 a.m. The loser of the second game plays the winner of the 11 a.m. game at 5 p.m. The championship game is scheduled at 2 p.m. Sunday.

Singer, whose father, Bill, pitched for the Dodgers and Angels, allowed one run on three hits in the first two innings and walked three. But in the third, he hit two batters and allowed two hits and six runs before Ryan Abbey came on in relief.

University’s sidearming right-hander Jason Williams, who pitched briefly Thursday night in the loss to Woodbridge, struck out nine and allowed five hits.

Williams, who missed most of last year because of injuries he suffered when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle, yielded three hits in the first inning, and Newport Harbor scored twice. After Williams walked Todd Bryson to start the game, Steffen Spizzirri sacrificed Bryson to second. After David Glatfelter’s infield single advanced Bryson to third, Abbey and Tony Altobelli each had RBI singles.

“I’m not sure he was loose to start the ballgame,” University Coach Steve Ruiz said of Williams. “But he settled down after that and did a good job out there.

“He had an outstanding sophomore season two years ago, but he wasn’t able to come back until late last season because of the accident. But he has come back very nicely this summer and has pitched some good games for us.”

The Trojans got a run back in their half of the first on a run-scoring single by Dave Dieter, who had three hits, three stolen bases and two RBIs.

Dieter led off the Trojan third by hitting a sharp grounder that Sailor first baseman Glatfelter mishandled for an error. After Alan Marlinga walked and Bill Thompson struck out, Singer hit Williams with a pitch to load the bases.

After Rick Gallagher’s infield fly, Brian Smith was hit by a pitch to force home Dieter and tie the game at 2. Pinch-hitter John Cotliar then beat out a high chopper to Singer to score Marlinga. Williams and Smith also scored and Cotliar advanced to third when Singer’s throw to first sailed near the dugout.

After Cotliar scored on Brian Rogers’ passed ball, Brian Vail tripled, and that was all for Singer. Reliever Abbey allowed an infield single to Trent McGinn, scoring Vail. McGinn, who stole second and advanced to third on Rogers’ wild throw, scored University’s seventh run of the inning on Dieter’s single.

In the second game, defending tournament champion Irvine scored three runs in the third and four more in the fifth for its victory over Tustin.

Three Vaquero pitchers--John Bretza, David Goldstein and Kevin Obergfell--allowed just three hits. Bretza pitched the first four innings to pick up the win.