Braves

innings, 4-3 NEWPORT BEACH - The Braves were able to hold on for victory over the Giants, 4-3, in an eight-inning Newport Harbor Baseball Association Bronco Division matchup. Pitchers Niko Hernandez, Spencer Smith and Justin Jones held the Giants to six hits, while striking out nine. Jones was also a force behind the plate, throwing out two at second base. Darken Legget made several crucial plays around the infield, including a pinpoint throw to end a Giant threat in the seventh inning.

Jordan Kurtz slammed an inside-the-park home run to help lead the Newport Beach Little League's Angels past the Braves, 9-7, in Majors Division action. The Angels (10-4) attacked the Braves early, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. But the Braves answered with three runs in the bottom of the frame. However, the Braves weren't able to over the Angels' timely hitting and solid pitching. Shane Boras, Michael Page, Scott Ely and Andy Rovzar contributed the hits for the Angels.

The Newport Harbor Baseball Association's Mud Hens dug down deep to pull out two one-run margins of victory in Pony Division action last week. The Mud Hens used their team play to defeat the Corona del Mar Reds, 10-9, and the Mud Hens also scored a 4-3 decision over NHBA Yankees. Mud Hen pitcher Brendon Salisbury struck out seven and walked just one in four innings of work, and Nathan Cramer struck out five in three innings when the Muds rallied to beat the Reds.

CORONA DEL MAR - Chris Carpenter and Joe Barber each won two events for the Corona del Mar High boys track and field team, but visiting St. John Bosco captured a 96-31 nonleague win Wednesday. Carpenter swept the 110-meter high hurdles (16.0) and the 330 intermediate hurdles (43.8), while Barber was victorious in the shot put (49-5 3/4) and the discus (135-1 1/2). CdM Coach Bill Sumner also mentioned Chris Ringstrom's third-place finish in the 200 (22.8)

In a bit of coincidence, Timmy Winning drove in the game-winning run to score Sean Tokuyama, giving the Reds a 5-4 victory over the Braves, in Newport Beach Little League Majors Division action. The Reds rallied in the sixth inning, after trailing 4-3. The Reds' Dylan Davis' single brought in Evan McNerny to tie the game, 4-4. Reds pitcher Andrew Silva and Braves' hurler Thomas Koss each held their opponents to four hits over five innings of work. The Braves received hits from Koss, Cambden Nicholson and Tom Dialynas, while the Reds were powered offensively by Blaine Nielson and Brett Bartlett.

Deirdre Newman NEWPORT BEACH -- A group of students showed their support for the heroic efforts of New York City firefighters by raising nearly $7,000 in donations over the two weeks since the terrorist attacks. On Tuesday morning, Eileen Ryan, a co-principal at Our Lady Queen of Angels School, presented Newport Beach firefighters with a check for $6,877.06. The check will be delivered to the families of the Rescue 4 Fire Department in Queens. Not only did the Queens firefighters' courage and perseverance win over the students, but a personal connection also touched them.

NEWPORT BEACH - The Dodgers used quality pitching and errorless defense to defeat the Braves, 9-4, in Newport Harbor Baseball Association Bronco Division (ages 11-12) action. Pitchers Eric Paine, Jarrett Daniel and R.J. D'Cruz combined for 10 strikeouts while the defense, led by Jerry Whitney, Chase Behr, Trey LaGrandeur, Jake Dayton, Alan Orozco and Robert Tumlin, was superb. D'Cruz, Daniel and Ian Goodwin sparked the Dodgers' offense with consecutive doubles, while Dan Winkle came through with a two-run single.

Steve Virgen COSTA MESA - If the Braves were to have any shot at first place in the Mustang division they knew they would have to take care of the Mariners. The Braves, a Newport Harbor Baseball Association team, watched the Cubs upset the first-place Dodgers which set the scenario for their game. Manager Tim Davey's Braves then survived a Mariners' rally, but won, 8-6, at Kaiser Elementary. The battle for first place will now take place Wednesday when the Braves take on those Dodgers at Kaiser at 5 p.m. "The effort on defense was very strong," said Braves Coach Ty Peterson, who credited the efforts of pitcher Nick Svendsen for supreme defense and Blake Davey's bat on offense.

The Angels' offense exploded for a couple of big wins last week in Newport Harbor Baseball Association Pony Division (ages 13-14) action. Eddie Pinela, Justin Miranda and Abdon Ortega each ripped home runs in the Angels' 21-5 win over the Diamondbacks. J.T. King had three hits, while Ivan Ramirez added two doubles for the Angels. The defense was led by Steve Hernandez, Mike Ransom, Josh Cox and Karissa Scura. Miranda, Ortega and Pinela again sparked the offense in the Angels' 13-9 win over the Braves.