FOUNTAIN VALLEY — Some clutch hits early in the game propelled Fountain Valley’s baseball team to a 5-3 nonleague win over Newport Harbor on Thursday at Fountain Valley High.
Fountain Valley (12-4), ranked No. 11 in Orange County and No. 4 in CIF-SS Division 3, has won six of its last seven games heading into Surf League play next week.
“We are a Division 3 team that has to finish top two in a league with Huntington Beach, Edison and Los Alamitos, so the road ahead is tough for us,” Fountain Valley coach Deric Yanagisawa said. “But if we keep executing and throwing strikes, we can hang in there. Newport is a great program and we played well enough to win today.”
Blake Wentz (44), left, and Tim Grack (2) of Fountain Valley high-five after defeating Newport Harbor 5-3 in a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Connor DeBenon (15) of Fountain Valley is late with the tag as Evan Langston (1) of Newport Harbor safely steals second base during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tim Grack (2) of Fountain Valley pitches against Newport Harbor during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Evan Langston (1) of Newport Harbor pitches against Newport Harber during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tyler Arevalos (5) of Fountain Valley attempts to field an infield hit between him and the short stopbut during a game against Newport Harbor during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Adam Baggeta (32) of Fountain Valley beats the throw back to first baseman Sam Dicarlo (23) of Newport Harbor in an attempted pick-off during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ryan Sullivan (1) and Austin Klobly (34) of Fountain Valley wait to greet Tim Grack (2) as he comes in from third base for a score in a game against Newport Harbor at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Will Haid of Newport Harbor pitches against Fountain Valley during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Kaden Stowall (3) Newport Harbor dives back to first base before the ball can get to first baseman Keith Aguilar (7) or Fountain Valley during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Blake Wentz (44) of Fountain Valley pitches against Newport Harbor during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Bryce Blaser (4) of Newport Harbor beats the throw to first baseman Blake Wentz (44) of Fountain Valley in an attempted pick-off during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Tyler Arevalos (5) of Fountain Valley mishandles an infield ground ball during a game against Newport Harbor during a baseball game at Fountain Valley High in Fountain Valley on Thursday, April 29, 2021. (Photo by Leonard Ortiz, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Barons scored all five of their runs in the first two innings. Keith Aguilar drove in a run in the first after back-to-back singles by Chris Oullette and Tim Grack.
In the second inning, Grack drew a walk with the bases loaded to put the Barons ahead 2-0. Fountain Valley starting pitcher Blake Wentz helped his own cause with a RBI single to increase the lead to three.
Aguilar hit a two-run single to give Fountain Valley a 5-0 lead.
“Keith had some huge at-bats for us today,” Yanagisawa said. “We’ll tell our guys to pick each other up and he did that for us today.”
Newport Harbor (8-6), ranked No. 8 in CIF-SS Division 3, crept back into the game in the third and fourth innings. The Sailors scored two runs in the third on a run-scoring single by Kaden Stowell and Joe Wright scored on a double play to cut the lead to three.
Will O’Neill walked and advanced to third on an error on the ensuing at-bat. James Crowell hit a sacrifice fly to score O’Neill to make the score 5-3.
The relief pitchers for each team were outstanding. Will Haid allowed just one baserunner in three innings of work for Newport Harbor.
Grack earned the save with three scoreless innings of one-hit ball for the Barons.
“When you ask a sophomore to pitch in high-leverage situations, they grow up really fast,” Yanagisawa said of Grack. “He was not afraid of the moment and pounded the strike zone today. He made guys earn their way on base.”
Fountain Valley hosts Marina in a nonleague game Saturday before it begins a Surf League series against Los Alamitos on Tuesday, May 4.
Newport Harbor play at Marina on Tuesday to begin a Wave League series.
This post first appeared on ocregister.com
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