Santa Margarita’s Brody Schumaker, right, scores a run in the first inning against Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita catcher Warren Gravely IV tags out Newport Harbor’s Cole Harrison trying to take third in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Newport Harbor’s Lucas Perez swings and misses against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s shortstop Gavin Spiridonoff dives but cant reach a ground ball up the middle by Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Newport Harbor shortstop Adam Martin turns in the air to get the force at second against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Carter Enoch, right, hugs Blake Ankrum after the Eagles won the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Newport Harbor second baseman Grant Horsley waits to tag out a sliding Santa Margarita runner trying to steal in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Newport Harbor reliever Tyler Clark delivers a pitch against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Chase Marlow moves in to catch a fly ball by Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Lucas Owens catches an infield pop fly against Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Newport Harbor’s Gavin Guy delivers a pitch against Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Chase Marlow scores the second run of the first inning against Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Newport Harbor shortstop Adam Martin doesn’t get to ground ball up the middle by Santa Margarita in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Gavin Spiridonoff, left, and Brody Schumaker wave goodbye to the Newport Harbor fans after the Eagles won the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs against Newport Harbor in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Santa Margarita’s Brennan Bauer delivers a pitch against Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Show Caption1 of 15Santa Margarita’s Brody Schumaker, right, scores a run in the first inning against Newport Harbor in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 baseball playoffs in Newport Beach on Thursday, May 15, 2025. (Photo by Paul Rodriguez, Contributing Photographer) Expand
NEWPORT BEACH – Santa Margarita senior Brennan Bauer is not an overpowering pitcher.
But he is a smart one.
Bauer changed speeds and worked all areas of the plate Thursday as he threw a three-hitter in Santa Margarita’s 2-0 win over Newport Harbor in a CIF Southern Section Division 1 baseball playoff game at Newport Harbor High.
The Eagles (17-12) will play at Huntington Beach (24-4) in the second round Tuesday. Huntington Beach is No. 1 and Santa Margarita is No. 3, behind Orange Lutheran, in this week’s Orange County rankings.
Bauer had only three strikeouts, and two of those were in the seventh and final inning. He walked only one on his way to getting his 20th career high school win.
Newport Harbor, No. 4 in the county rankings, finished 22-6. The 22 wins is the most in Sailors baseball history.
Bauer tried to approach Thursday’s game as just another game.
“I woke up this morning, said a prayer and did what I normally do,” Bauer said.
Bauer, who went into the game with a 7-3 record and a 2.93 ERA, said his performance Thursday ranks “in my top three, for sure” because of his pinpoint control.
“It was probably one of my best command days,” Bauer said.
Santa Margarita coach Chris Malec said it was typical game for Bauer, a 5-9 right-hander who plans to pitch next year at Saddleback College. Malec said Bauer is at his best in bigger games.
“He was able to throw four different pitches at any point in the count and he kept guys off balance,” Malec said. “He’s not a strikeout guy. He relies on our defense and our defense did a really good job of taking care of the baseball.”
Santa Margarita scored its runs in the top of the first inning.
Leadoff batter Brody Schumaker walked on a 3-2 pitch and went to second base when Chase Marlow reached on an error. A double steal put Schumaker on third base and Marlow on second. Gavin Spiridonoff lined a base hit to right field to drive in Schumaker and Marlow for a 2-0 lead.
Newport Harbor pitcher Gavin Guy was excellent from there. He allowed only four hits over the next five innings and got a strikeout with two men on base to end the third inning.
Santa Margarita has a recent playoff history with Huntington Beach. The Eagles lost at Huntington Beach 3-2 in eight innings in last season’s Division 1 quarterfinals. They lost 1-0 at Huntington Beach in the Division 1 first round in 2021.
“It’s always a great atmosphere there,” Malec said. “Huntington is a well-coached, talented team. It’s always a tremendous game.”
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