Barnburner in the Back Bay

Richard Dunn

As in most cases involving Back Bay teams in athletic competition,

the Newport Harbor Baseball Association and Corona del Mar Pony

14-year-old All-Star teams are playing a firebrand type of ball in

the middle of summer.

With unusual humidity and occasional hurricane type weather,

baseball were flying everywhere Thursday in Game 2 of the Battle of

the Bay Pony Series at Eastbluff Park, where Newport Harbor rallied

from an early deficit to post a 10-5 victory and square the series at

one game apiece. The third and decisive game is 5:30 p.m. today at

Eastbluff.

“It’s coming down to the wire, the way it should be,” Newport

Harbor assistant coach Mike Reed said. “When there are rivalries, it

should come down to one game ... next year should be real interesting

when they start high school, because 100% of the Corona del Mar guys

are going to high school at [CdM] and 95% of the Newport Harbor guys

are going to Newport Harbor.”

In the opener Wednesday, CdM won a dramatic, 9-8 decision as the

home team on its home turf. In this one, Newport Harbor, the

designated home team, fell behind in the first inning as CdM scored

three runs, highlighted by Chris Rosen’s two-run home run to

left-center field on a 2-0 pitch.

But, instead of its spirits deflating, Newport Harbor rallied

quickly with a five-run first as it sent 10 batters to the plate

against CdM starter David Wheatley.

Newport Harbor added two runs each in the second and third innings

to build a 9-3 advantage, and, with right-hander Brett Houten

coasting on the mound, it appeared to be only a matter of time before

both sides realized another day of summer baseball was upon them.

“That’s the best I’ve pitched against them,” said Houten, who

relieved starter Nathan Todd (sore biceps) after one inning and

pitched the final six innings to earn the victory, striking out eight

and walking three, while yielding six hits.

After CdM plated its final run in the sixth on Grant Heffernan’s

scoring fly ball to right field, Houten ended the threat -- CdM had

two runners aboard -- by striking out Kelsey Chase on a dandy

knuckle-curve.

“I threw mostly straight curves and knuckle-curve five times,”

Houten said.

Leadoff hitter Blake Pinto sparked Newport Harbor with three hits

and three runs scored in the first three innings, while shortstop and

No. 3 hitter Jarrett Daniel smoked an RBI single to left field in the

first and crushed a two-run home run in the second to left.

Houten, catcher Zippy Levy and second baseman Brice Stillman

contributed RBI singles for Harbor in the first as the first five

hitters eventually came around to score.

Newport Harbor extended its lead to 9-3 in the third when Drew

Harris reached on a fielder’s choice, then moved to third on a wild

pickoff throw to first base from the CdM pitcher. Harris jogged home

on Pinto’s RBI bloop single to shallow center. Pinto stole second

base and took third on a catcher’s throwing error, before coming home

on another error.

In CdM’s fifth, Tyler Brady singled home Michael Ford to cut

Harbor’s lead to 9-4, but Newport scored again in the fifth.

In the sixth, Rosen doubled to left field, moved to third on a

wild pitch and scored on Heffernan’s fly ball.