Amador Valley’s Danielle Williams drops Huntington Beach softball in Michelle Carew Classic

The deeper teams go into a quality softball tournament like the Michelle Carew Classic, the tougher the competition becomes.

Huntington Beach High had one thing going for it entering the second day of action. The Oilers’ second-round opponent had yet to be determined, with Lakewood and Pleasanton Amador Valley playing their tournament opener on Thursday morning.

Amador Valley shut out Lakewood 1-0, but the Oilers had a chance to get a scouting report from the early game. The Oilers were told to look out for the riseball of Northwestern commit Danielle Williams.

The Dons senior left-hander pitched like a true ace in the afternoon game, befuddling the Oilers with an equally effective outing in a much different manner. Williams allowed just four hits, and Amador Valley stayed unbeaten with a 3-1 win over Huntington Beach at Anaheim’s Peralta Canyon Park.

“We didn’t see the riseball too much today,” Oilers shortstop Allee Bunker said. “We weren’t really getting caught on the riseball. It was more outside with the changeup.

“Our game plan coming in was different than what she was actually throwing.”

Williams retired the first 11 that she faced. She pounded the strike zone, striking out six and walking none. Williams said she felt most comfortable with the dropball against the Oilers (8-4).

On top of her performance in the pitching circle for Amador Valley (9-0-1), Williams provided the runs that would stand up as the difference in the game. She hammered a two-run home run to right field in the third inning.

That wound up being the only mistake of the game made by Oilers’ pitcher Devyn Greer, who handled herself well while pitching behind from the start. The freshman went the distance, allowing two earned runs on four hits.

Greer struck out seven and walked four. She worked around the Dons’ tough bats, and she fielded her position well. She started a double play in the fourth inning to erase a lead-off walk.

“We have a lot of faith in Devyn,” said Oilers assistant coach Johnny Martinez, who was in charge after head coach Jeff Forsberg left in the middle of the game because of a personal matter. “She’s a seasoned pitcher in travel ball, and we trust her completely as if she were an upper-classmen. She does a great job for us.”

The Williams home run in the third inning marked the second time in as many games that an Oilers’ pitcher has given up a home run with two outs in an inning. Martinez said that the time to learn how to limit the damage is now.

“I think losing [is] learning, so we’re still early in the season,” Martinez said. “I know that it’s a big tournament, but we want the end of the year. As long as we’re learning from those mistakes that we’re making and getting better on this journey, I think we’re going to be fine at the end of the year.”

Bunker, who has committed to Oregon, hit a solo home run off of Williams in the fourth inning.

Amador Valley coach Teresa Borchard said that her team comes down from the CIF North Coast Section to play in this tournament because in order to be the best, one must beat the best.

“Every team down here pushes us in one way or the other,” Borchard said. “[The Oilers] can swing the bat.”

Williams echoed those sentiments when told of some of the college-committed players in the Oilers’ lineup.

“It’s fun playing against people like that,” Williams said. “You’re going to see them now, and you’re going to see them later. It’s just cool to face them.”

The Oilers’ best opportunity to draw even came as a two-out rally continued in the fourth. Third baseman Kelli Kufta doubled to right-center. Catcher Katelyn Mangrello followed with a single, and she moved into scoring position on the throw home.

Huntington Beach had the tying runs in scoring position for first baseman Kelly Ryono, but she lined out softly to second baseman Chloe Engel.

Ryono singled in the seventh, but Williams got the next two to ground out to end it.

Amador Valley center fielder Valeria Torres-Colon notched the only multi-hit performance of the game.

andrew.turner@latimes.com

Twitter: @ProfessorTurner