NHBA Pony: Yankees rumble to the top

NEWPORT BEACH - The Newport Harbor Baseball Association Pony

Division (ages 13-14) Yankees picked the right time to get hot.

Following a less than stellar regular season, the Yankees ripped off

three straight win, capturing the Pony Division title.

The road to the title began with a first-round playoff win over the

Orioles, 9-2.

Yankee pitchers Sam Bouffard, Aaron Fitzhugh and Mike McLean combined to

hold the Orioles to only two runs on two hits.

Joel Walker sparked the offense with three hits, Mike Mike Vacker and

Bouffard each added two hits and Shane Swanberg and Aaron Fitzhugh each

had key hits.

The Yankees’ defense was keyed by Jeff Sanchez, Cameron Harer and Matt

Payne.

The offense continued to roll as the Yanks defeated the Dodgers, 11-0.

Walker, Vacker, Fitzhugh and Swanberg each had two hits. Fitzhugh’s home

run in the sixth inning capped the scoring.

McLean threw five innings of no-hit ball for the Yanks before Bouffard

came in to pitch a scoreless sixth.

Matt Payne, along with his solid glove work, went 3 for 3 at the plate

for the Yanks, while Harer and Kyle Brown each added a hit.

In the title game, the Yanks edged the Red Sox, 3-2, despite a

well-pitched game by Red Sox hurlers Matt Erickson and Taylor Young.

Bouffard threw six strong innings, while McLean closed out the game to

earn the save.

Walker had two hits, while Payne and Rupert Methner each added key hits.

Bouffard added to the scoring by being hit by a pitch twice and laying

down a key bunt that brought home Jeff Sanchez with the eventual winning

run.

Solid defensive plays were turned in by Harer, Swanberg, Walker, Sanchez,

Kyle Brown, Fitzhugh and Payne.