CdM baseball team completes sweep of Uni with 12-4 victory in second game

CdM Coach Kevin McCaffrey talks with his players after Saturday’s doubleheader. (Photo: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone)

Corona del Mar’s baseball team exploded for six runs, all with two outs in the fourth inning and went on to defeat University 12-4 in the second game of a non-league doubleheader Saturday at University.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

Corona del Mar (11-4-1) won the first game 11-6.

“We had a couple big at bats, a couple doubles and a couple triples,” said CdM Coach Kevin McCaffrey.

Luke Joyce led off with a triple and scored on an infield single by Nico DiFerdinando, who reached on an infield single and went to second on an error.

Then Will Butler had an RBI single, Matt DeCrona had an RBI double, Kieran Sidebotham had a two-run triple and Reece Berger capped the inning with an RBI triple.

“We did a lot better at the plate in that second game; we’re happy with that,” McCaffrey said.

“I thought Matt DeCrona had a good game, he had two doubles; Reece Berger on the day had five hits, Joyce had three hits in that second game, Nico DeFerdinando was 2 for 2.”

McCaffrey was back in the same dugout where he was University’s head coach in 2017. Last year’s Uni coach, Mike Gerakos, is now the pitching coach at CdM. University is now in the first base dugout so CdM was in the third base dugout where McCaffrey used to lead the Trojans.

“It’s always fun and it’s great place and Michel (Uni coach Thompson) has done a great job with this field, it’s a great facility; I’m very happy, it’s a good change for me,” McCaffrey said.

University (5-9) took a 1-0 lead with a run in the third inning. Beckett Kreter led off with a single, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double by Jacob Carroll.

However the lead was short lived as CdM had its big inning in the fourth.

The Sea Kings added four more runs in the sixth. Luc Stuka had an RBI double and Joyce drove in two with a double.

Berger drove in two more runs in the top of the seventh on an RBI double. to help CdM extend its winning streak to three. (Please click here to see a story on the Sea Kings victory over Laguna Beach Friday)

The Trojans scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh. Pinch-hitter Brad Hodges reached on a wild pitch and eventually came home on a wild pitch. Pinch-hitter Ryan Miller also came home on an error.

“Overall, I’m pleased with how we had the energy and we fought all game long in both games, no matter what the score was,” said Thompson, the Uni coach. “We had a couple big innings that we gave up that made the score lopsided. We get two quick outs after the 1-0 lead and then we give up six runs so we were very close to turning in a really good performance against these guys and giving ourselves a chance to win.

“But overall, that was probably the best energy we’ve ever had so far this season. Guys didn’t really care what the score was. They were fighting. Overall, I’m very pleased with the effort.”

Brenden Morris started on the mound for CdM and was relieved by Jennings Torgelson in the fourth. Ryan Borquez came on to pitch the fifth and Tanner Ivey hurled the seventh.

Jose Rodriguez started for Uni and pitched into the fourth before being relieved by Patrick Dahlin. Nick Wetzel pitched the seventh.

In the first game, Stuca was 4 for 5 with two home runs, both two-run shots to lead CdM; Sidebotham was 2 for 4 and Berger was 2 for 5. Matt Wilks started on the mound for the Sea Kings going four shutout innings and also had a triple.

“We played OK; we gave up six unearned runs,” McCaffrey said. “That’s what we can’t do. We threw the ball around a little bit.”

“We never stopped fighting,” added Thompson, the Uni coach. “Our guys kept swinging the bats. That’s two days in a row that we’ve swung the bats really well.”

University scored three runs in the sixth and three more in the seventh.

Faraz Markazi was 3 for 4 with an RBI, Wetzel was 2 for 4 with three RBI and a double to lead the Trojans.

University was coming off a 6-2 victory over Northwood Friday. (Please click here to see the story)

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportzone.com