Prep baseball: Cherry puts Tars on top

NEWPORT BEACH - Newport Harbor High senior Adam Cherry came to the

rescue with his arm and his bat Friday, leading the Sailors’ baseball

team to a 3-2 home victory over visiting Los Amigos in the first round of

the Newport Elks Tournament.

First, Cherry came on in relief with the bases loaded, one out and a

run in after the Lobos broke a scoreless tie with an RBI walk. Cherry

struck out the first hitter he faced, then induced a popup to limit the

damage.

After Ryan Rowe led off the sixth with a game-tying home run over the

center-field fence, a pair of one-out errors and a popup put two runners

in scoring postition. Cherry then lofted a soft liner into center field

for a two-run single.

Cherry worked out a jam of his own doing in the Lobos’ final at-bat.

Los Amigos loaded the bases with one out on a hit, a walk and another

hit. An RBI groundout brought the visitors within 3-2. But a groundout to

the second baseman gave Cherry the mound victory. It also opened the

tenure of first-year coach Joel Desguin on a winning note, propelling the

Tars into today’s second-round home game against Santa Ana at 11 a.m.

“Cherry was the hero today,” Desguin said.

Sophomore Mike McLean had the the third hit for the Sailors, who

received three scoreless innings from starting pitcher Ryan Torrey.

NEWPORT ELKS TOURNAMENT

First round

Newport Harbor 3, Los Amigos 2

Los Amigos 000 001 1 - 2 7 2

Newport Harbor 000 003 x - 3 3 1

S. Isias, Chakito (6) and Bruno; Torrey, Glenn (4), Rowe (6), Cherry

(6) and Pemstein. W - Cherry, 1-0. L - Chakito, 0-1. 2B - Douglas (LA),

E. Isias (LA). HR - Rowe (NH).