Youth Scene: Perfection reached for Mustang Steel

Rossin Steel, a Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. Mustang Division team, had plenty on the line as it entered the championship game this past Sunday. The team had not lost a game all season.

Opponents were ready for team 'Steel', as the team battled through the playoffs coming from behind twice to win.

The finale, played at Bob Henry Park in Newport Beach, matched the No. 2-seeded team, A-Market, against top-seeded Steel.

Steel took an early advantage with singles by Luke Bashore, Grady Birmingham and John Christensen. After one inning, Steel was on top 5-2.

Quinn Bobinkski continued to pitch strikes coming on the mound in the third after Bashore's two innings. However, A-Market closed the gap and Steel's lead was 7-5 after three innings.

Trent Liolios added a single, and pitched a no-hit inning to keep the game tight at 7-5 after four innings.

Ryan Guidotti, Jack Blackman and Blake Byers continued with their solid contribution by making big plays from third base and the outfield.

Closer Jarrett Thompson came on the mound in the fifth inning and continued to pitch heat as he did all season. But the momentum started to shift as A-Market began to rally back. With the game tied at 7-7, Birmingham made a key play at the plate tagging out the go-ahead runner to keep the game tied after five.

In the top of the sixth and final inning, Thompson was walked to first base. The next batter, Bashore, hit a triple, scoring Thompson then advancing to home on a passed ball as Steel took at 9-7 lead. Later in the inning, Birmingham singled and Finn McClintock added an RBI. Heading onto the bottom of the sixth, Steel was up 11-7 and was feeling that victory within reach.

After the first A-Market batter singled and next batter struck out, Tyler Kaplan caught a high fly ball to get Steel within one out away of the championship. Thompson struck out the final batter and the dog pile then began.

Scott Liolios, with coaches Todd Bashore, and Matt Kaplan managed the team.

— Reader submission

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Team overcomes odds to win title

The Newport Harbor Baseball Assn. 12-and-under Rossin Steel team was not favored to win the Bronco Division title.

After losing in the second round of playoffs, the team had to play through the loser's bracket to make it back to the championship game this past Sunday. At Mariner's Park in Newport Beach, Rossin was matched up against the No. 1-seeded team, Farmers Insurance. Rossin Steel had to beat Farmers twice in one day to win the title.