Oilers make their move to top of Sunset League

The first round of the Sunset League softball season has come to an end with two teams sharing first place.

One of those teams is Huntington Beach which won twice in the last week to gain a tie for the lead. The Oilers finished the first half of league with a 4-1 record, ending the half with a 6-5 win in eight innings Tuesday against Fountain Valley. The victory followed a key, 3-2 triumph April 21 over Los Alamitos.

In other Sunset games Tuesday, Edison defeated visiting Newport Harbor, 12-2, and Marina lost, 9-2, at Los Alamitos.

Huntington and Los Alamitos share first place at 4-1.

In Huntington’s 6-5 home win Tuesday over Fountain Valley, Chance Burden delivered a game-winning ground out in the bottom of the eighth which scored Jaelyn Operana to complete the Oilers’ comeback against the Barons (2-3 league). Ivy Davis started the game for the Oilers and went 5 2/3 innings and Kendall Henscheid threw 1 2/3 innings of solid relief before Davis re-entered and got out of a jam in the top of the eight.

Kristina Inouye had a huge game for Huntington hitting two, long home runs to keep things close for the Oilers who scored single runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to pull out the win.

Offensively, the Oilers were led by key hitting from Inouye, Anna Kufta, Jadelyn Allchin and Callie Saccacio.

“Every league game, I tell the girls that every opponent will come out with their best game and we need to prepare for it,” said Huntington Coach Jeff Forsberg whose Oilers, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division 1, improved to 18-2 overall. “[Tuesday], was no different. We struggled offensively, early and relied on Inouye on offense to keep us in the game, something she has done for years. But, we never panicked and came back in the end.

“I was very happy to see Chance [Burden] come up big for us as she is battling injuries but does not back down. Davis, again, was huge for us in the circle and I see the confidence that Kendall [Henscheid] had was something for us to grow with”.

Huntington trailed Los Alamitos by one game in the league standings heading into the teams’ April 21 showdown, but the Oilers drew even with the then second-ranked Griffins (now ranked fourth) when an outstanding defensive performance and key hits produced a 3-2 victory. Junior right-hander Ivy Davis limited the Griffins to two hits, walked five and struck out four, in a complete-game win, Inouye and Allchin each had an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning to tie the score, and a fielder’s choice grounder by Kufta in the sixth put the Oilers in front for good.

Huntington, which was coming off its first league loss two days earlier at Edison, scored the game’s final three runs after it trailed, 2-0, through 1 1/2 innings.

Davis and Allchin both had two hits and Allie Bunker went three for three (singles in the first, third and fifth innings).

“It was great to see our energy level up and everyone into the game,” Forsberg said. “In order to beat Los Al, we had to play a flawless game with great team energy but still trying to stay calm in the moment and we did that.

“I can’t say enough about the competitiveness of Ivy [Davis] in the circle as she took on the challenge and she delivered. It was a fun evening from beginning to end for the team.”

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•Edison rolled Tuesday to a 12-2 win over visiting Newport Harbor. Riley Wester went three for four and drove in three runs, Hannah Horton three for four with a double, home run and two RBIs, Rachel Abboud two for four with two RBIs, Danielle Votendahl two for four with a home run, and Aislinn Martin two for four with a double, for the Chargers. Winning pitcher Jenna Bloom (three innings) struck out seven in improving to 4-0.

Edison, which ran its league record to 2-3 and overall slate to 12-10, previously edged host Fountain Valley April 21, 8-7. Wester went three for four, Abboud two for four with a double and two RBIs, and Alex Loomis two for three and hit her first career home run.

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•Marina traveled Tuesday to face fourth-ranked Los Alamitos which defeated the Vikings, 9-2. Jenny Herron went two for four with an RBI and Kayla Pemasa homered for the Vikings who fell to 3-2 in league and 9-13 overall.

“Being able to bounce back and get back on track after this game will be critical,” Marina Coach Mandee Farish said. “We have what it takes to beat these teams if we can have quality at-bats all game long and play solid defense behind [starting pitcher] Amber [Baldwin].”

Marina previously took a 6-1 win April 21 at Newport Harbor. Herron went three for four with a pair of doubles, Shayla Thomas three for four with a triple, and Ashley Myers also went three for four. Winning pitcher Amber Baldwin surrendered only two hits and struck out 12 in taking her record to 9-11.

Sunset League teams are in action Thursday for the start of the second round of league play. At 3:15 p.m., Edison hosts Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley travels to Newport Harbor. At 6 p.m., Huntington hosts Marina.

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•Ocean View was dealt its first Golden West League loss Friday when the Seahawks were shut out, 10-0, at Segerstrom (4-0 league).

Ocean View fell to 3-1 in league and 10-5 overall.

“We were defeated before we stepped of the bus,” Ocean View Coach Liberty McCollum said. “I don’t know why. I do know we beat ourselves out there, and that it won’t happen again.”

Previously, Ocean View took care of Orange April 20, 7-1. Caitlyn Sideris had a big game for the Seahawks going three for four at the plate and had five put-outs in the field.

The Seahawks took on Loara in league play Wednesday. The score wasn’t available at press time. They travel Friday to Santa Ana for a 3:15 p.m. league game.

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•Brethren Christian took a 1-0 lead through two innings lead at Cypress Oxford Academy Tuesday but couldn’t sustain it as the Patriots rolled to a 13-1 Academy League win. BC’s lone run came on a home run by Sydney Warkentin. Samantha Kobel, Katelynn Jaminez and Effie Hill all singled for the Warriors.

In a league game April 21, BC was defeated by visiting Cerritos Whitney, 11-1. Gabby Pacada singled, stole both second and third base, and scored on an error, and Jaminez struck out nine in the loss.

BC hosted Connelly in a nonleague game April 20 and rallied from a 10-3 deficit to score a come-from-behind, 13-12 win over the Koalas. The Warriors scored five runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to pull out the victory. In the fifth, Britney Cuevas hit a based-loaded, two-run single and Amber McKee followed with a two-run triple. Trailing by two runs in the sixth, Jaminez hit a bases-loaded single that brought home three runs for the lead. Cuevas stole three bases and Pacada, Hill and Sierra Whitmire each stole two bases.

On the mound, Jaminez (four innings, two runs) took the win in a relief effort.

BC plays a 3 p.m. league game Friday at Crean Lutheran.

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CIF Weekly Rankings (released Monday)

Huntington Beach (No. 3, Division 1)