Sunset’s best: Marina

The Marina High baseball team is champion of the Sunset League.

The Vikings, who already had no worse than a share of that championship in their possession, lost a game Tuesday but still gained an outright title. They had entered the final week of league competition holding a two-game edge on Edison with two to play. Despite Tuesday’s loss, they still maintain that two-game cushion heading into league finales Thursday.

Marina lost, 6-1, at Los Alamitos, which left the door open for Edison to stay in title contention. The Chargers, however, lost at home to Newport Harbor, 4-2, keeping the Chargers two games off pace and ended the title chase.

In the other Sunset contest Tuesday, Huntington Beach downed visiting Fountain Valley, 7-1, and moved into a tie for second with Edison.

Marina, which rose from ninth to a No. 5 ranking in this week’s CIF Southern Section Division 1 poll, earned a tie for the Sunset championship Friday by pounding out 17 hits in taking out visiting Newport Harbor, 13-2. Griffin Hennessey went three for four and drove in three runs, and Joseph Waked homered and tripled. Senior right-hander Riley Ohl remained perfect in league (6-0) with a six-hit, six-strikeout performance in five innings as the Vikings won their 20th game of the season.

“This is a great group of players that play extremely well together,” Marina Coach Bob Marshall said. “I can’t be more proud of these young men and the accomplishment that they have worked hard for all year. I want to thank my coaching staff who has coached our butts off and made moves that enabled our players to succeed. The team fits like a puzzle and it has been so satisfying to win.”

Marina had moved a step closer to the league title by winning, 2-1, at Newport Harbor May 4. Sophomore Jared Minor (6-1) struck out nine, allowed five hits and a walk in a complete-game victory. The Vikings took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the seventh. Hennessey and Cory Lewis (hit) had RBIs and Will Pingle went two for three.

Tuesday’s 6-1 loss at Los Alamitos put the Vikings at 10-4 in league and 20-9 overall.

“Los Alamitos came to play and their coaches and players did a phenomenal job and I tip my hat to them,” Marshall said. “Great job by [Los Alamitos pitcher Kyle] Mora [Tuesday].

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•In Edison’s 4-2 loss to visiting Newport Harbor Tuesday, Leo Hyodo went three for four for the Chargers who dropped to 8-6 in league and 13-15-1 overall.

“We couldn’t do the little things well [Tuesday], and they proved costly,” Edison Coach Cameron Chinn said.

Edison had moved into sole possession of second-place Friday by edging visiting Fountain Valley by a single run, 4-3, for the second time in three days. John Thomas went one for three with an RBI and senior right-hander Kaz Akamatsu recorded a complete-game victory.

In a May 4 game between the rivals at Fountain Valley, Edison edged the Barons, 2-1. Carson Letterman singled home John Thomas in the top of the second to put the visiting Chargers up 1-0, Kyler Arenado went two for three and scored, and junior left-hander Vince Inman threw a complete-game, two-hitter allowing one earned run and struck out five.

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•Huntington Beach regained a share of second place Tuesday with its 7-1 win over Fountain Valley and Edison’s loss to Newport Harbor.

Nick Pratto and Hagen Danner both clubbed two home runs and right-hander Dominic Muscato registered a victory in his first career start. The senior gave up five hits, a run and struck out four in four innings.

The Oilers, who closed out a short regular-season homestand with a victory, ran their league record to 8-6 and overall mark to 18-10.

Fountain Valley fell to 4-10 in league and 15-14 overall.

“Senior Day is always a great day and I am glad that they all stepped up and played for each other,” Huntington Coach Benji Medure said. “[Dominic] Muscato did a great job and I am pumped that his teammates worked hard to get him the win.”

Huntington split its two games last week against Los Alamitos. The Oilers were blanked, 2-0, at Los Alamitos Friday, but did beat the Griffins at home May 4, rallying from a 2-0 deficit for a 3-2 win.

The Sunset League season ends Thursday. At 3:15 p.m., Marina hosts Los Alamitos, Fountain Valley hosts Huntington, and Edison travels to Newport Harbor.

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•Ocean View clinched the Golden West League championship last week. The Seahawks did so by winning the first of two games with Segerstrom. They defeated the Jaguars in nine innings May 4, 4-3, to clinch the title, but lost the second game May 5, 5-1.

On Tuesday at Loara, the Seahawks lost to the host Saxons, 5-0.

“We did not come ready to play,” Ocean View Coach Tanner VanMaanen said after his team fell to 11-3 in league and 13-12 overall.

Senior right-hander Brandon Nicholson (one innings, no runs, no walks, one strikeout) got the victory in the 4-3 nine-inning win May 4.

“We capitalized on their mistakes and clinched the league title,” VanMaanen said.

The Seahawks close out league play with a 3:15 p.m. home game Thursday against Loara.

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•Brethren Christian received two hits from Zach Koenig (two for three) but was handed a 15-0 loss by host St. Margaret’s in Academy League action.

The Warriors play their final game at 3:15 p.m. Thursday, hosting St. Margaret’s.

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•The CIF-SS baseball playoff pairings will be announced Monday. Divisional wild-card games are Tuesday and Wednesday. First-round games are May 19 (divisions 2, 4, 6) and May 20 (Division 1, 3, 5, 7).

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CIF Weekly Rankings (released Monday)

Marina (No. 5, Division 1).