Two locals still alive

WHITTIER ? Both the Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. Bronco division and Mustang division All-Stars had tight games on Saturday, but both moved on in their respective tournament losers’ brackets in the Section Tournament at York Park.

The Newport Harbor Bronco All-Stars (ages 11-12) topped Placentia Red, 8-7, in eight innings.

The Newport Harbor Mustang All-Stars, meanwhile, outlasted Irvine Red, 7-6.

The Bronco All-Stars advance to today’s game against either Whittier or Los Alamitos Red at 12:30 p.m. If Newport Harbor wins, the team advances to the Regional Tournament, beginning Thursday at Santana Park in Corona.

With a win in today’s first game, Manager Tony Swies said a second game would also be played today at 3 p.m. But that game would only be for Regional Tournament seeding purposes.

The Newport Harbor Mustang All-Stars (ages 10-11) have another elimination game today at 12:45 p.m. against either Fountain Valley Blue or Garden Grove Red.

Should Newport Harbor win, the team will have yet another elimination game today at 3:15 p.m.

For the Bronco All-Stars, Matt Carpenter was the star on Saturday, going five for five with two home runs and a double. He also scored the game-winning run.

He also started on the mound, pitching three innings for Newport Harbor and giving up just one earned run.

“It was a one-man show for us,” Swies said. “He just played extremely well.”

With the score tied, 7-7, in the bottom of the eighth inning, Carpenter singled and stole second.

A.J. Swies followed with an RBI single to right field to end the game.

Newport Harbor had a 7-4 lead going into the seventh inning, but gave up three runs to Placentia on four walks and numerous passed balls.

Newport Harbor’s Brett Parker struck out the side in the Placentia eighth to keep his team close.

A.J. Swies was three for five at the plate, and Tyler Kiehnle and Jake Stowell had two hits apiece.

The Mustang All-Stars jumped ahead early against Irvine, as Baron Schwarz, Jake Norton, Robert Lyons and Brad Tapfer all scored first-inning runs.

“It was just a real courageous battle by these Mustang boys,” Newport Harbor Manager Pat Cox said. “To win at sectionals is another accomplishment for them.”

Irvine rallied to tie the score, but Newport Harbor jumped back ahead in the fifth inning.

Norton and Garrett Hall both had doubles, a hit by Jason Rodriguez drove in two runs to allow Newport Harbor to a 7-4 advantage.

Irvine scored one in the fifth and one in the sixth, but left the tying runner on base as the game ended.

Sean Cox threw the first three innings and Connor Seabold threw the last three for Newport Harbor.