Unlike Wednesday, when the Sailors scored sixth in the seventh inning to turn a five-run deficit into a one-run lead in a game they ultimately won, 16-13, in 10 innings, there was no dugout-emptying drama Friday.
But first-year coach Patrick Murphy certainly liked what he saw in the latter stages of a game that clearly got away from his squad.
“I think if there is any kind of bright spot at all, definitely the one we want to focus on with our guys is that they didn’t go away,” Murphy said. “They didn’t pack it in at all. They definitely stayed connected with each other, which has been our goal this year. And, in the seventh inning, I thought we had some really good at-bats. Guys were still in there fighting and I’m proud of them for that.”
The fight was there throughout for the hosts, though the execution was not.
The Sailors committed three errors, one base-running blunder and were bullied a bit by a potent Los Al lineup for which Murphy, having worked as an assistant for the Griffins last season, has a healthy respect.
Los Alamitos, the defending league champion that was defeated by nationally touted Edison, 2-0, in the league opener March 19, also stayed in it well enough to put the game away with nine combined runs in the final two innings.
Los Al lashed 16 hits, with all but one spot in the lineup contributing.
Newport, which had 22 hits Wednesday and came in batting .383 as a team, had only four hits, all singles, through five innings.
Los Alamitos senior right-hander Kyle Ferramola survived a shaky first to work six strong innings and earn his first victory in three decisions this season. Not until Ryan Albert launched an opposite-field home run with one out in the sixth, did the Sailors produce a run with the benefit of a hit.
