Playoffs get started for softball teams
The CIF Southern Section softball playoffs are underway this week, and it was Ocean View which played the first postseason game among local teams.
The Seahawks were one of three local teams to reach the playoffs. Huntington Beach and Edison are two of three representatives of the Sunset League in postseason action.
Ocean View hosted Ontario Christian in a Division 4 wild-card game Tuesday, the winner moving on to a first-round game Thursday at Palmdale Knight. The Seahawks had their season come to an end in a 5-0 loss to the Knights (17-8, Ambassador League No. 3).
Caitlyn Sideris, Kim Macpherson, Indiana Boes, Kari Lane and Kylie McElligott had hits for Ocean View.
The Seahawks, who had several players out ill from practice Monday, ended the year 14-8 under first-year head coach Liberty McCollum.
They were the Golden West League’s No. 3-seed in the playoffs.
“I really didn’t know what to expect today,” McCollum said. “Those who did play, gave their all. We had runners in scoring position in several innings, but couldn’t produce. I was hoping it would be closer.
“We had a good season and I couldn’t ask more from these kids.”
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•Huntington Beach finished runner-up to the Sunset League title and the Oilers begin Division 1 postseason play at home (3:15 p.m.) Thursday against Long Beach Millikan.
The Oilers head into the playoffs 20-6 overall and ranked No. 7 in the division.
Millikan (12-17) is the No. 2 team from the Moore League.
Huntington Coach Jeff Forsberg said the programs faced each other during fall ball.
“Millikan is a quality opponent with a good program with softball history,” he said. “We are excited to match up with a Moore League team as that league is strong across the board and will be a challenge for us to get going quickly.”
Huntington concluded its Sunset League season May 12 and lost, 3-2, at Fountain Valley. The Oilers ended league play 6-4.
Among the leaders on offense for the Oilers are Allee Bunker (.438 batting avg.), Kristina Inouye (.422 avg., six home runs, 32 RBIs), Jadelyn Allchin (.452 avg.) and Gabi Hirsch, Anna Kufta and Callie Saccacio. Pitchers Alyssa Horeczko (11-2, 2.4 ERA) and Ivy Davis (7-3, 2.4 ERA) lead the way in the circle.
Forsberg said Davis, a right-handed junior, will start Thursday.
“We are exited to move into this part of the season,” Forsberg said. “We have been preparing all year for the challenges that lie ahead. Our seniors are excited to play this out while having mixed emotions of ending their high school careers.
“The last few weeks has allowed us to grow both on and off the field and now, it’s time to enjoy the time together.”
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•Edison travels for its Division 1 opener and will go up against Saugus at 3:15 p.m. Thursday.
The Chargers are 16-12 overall. They ended in a three-way tie with Fountain Valley and Marina for third place in the Sunset League, but won playoff games against the Barons and Vikings to earn the league’s No. 3-seed to the playoffs.
Saugus won the Foothill League championship and is ranked eighth in Division 1.
“We have a ton of momentum going into the first round and we will need to keep that energy up to make it deep into the bracket,” Edison Coach Kim Ensey said. “We have a tough road, starting with a first-place team that is the caliber of Saugus, but if we play our game, we will give ourselves the chance to compete.”
Rachel Abboud (.461 avg., three home runs, 22 RBIs, 24 runs) and Riley Wester (.460, 20 stolen bases) top the Chargers in batting average. Other key performers are Dani Votendahl (.384, six HR, 11 stolen bases), Kayla Neff (.286, five home runs, 25 RBIs) and Hannah Horton (.317, three home runs, 21 RBIs).
Ensey said Stanford-bound Kiana Pancino (12-8, 124 strikeouts, 2.46 ERA in 119 innings pitched) will start Thursday.
In Edison’s 6-4 league playoff win over Fountain Valley, Horton had a three-run double, Alex Loomis went three for three, Allie Greenburg one for three with two RBIs, and Pancino struck out eight.
In the Vikings’ 9-0 league playoff shutout of Marina, Votendahl went two for three with a home run and two RBIs, Wester three for five with two RBIs, Abboud had a hit and RBI, Neff went two for four with a triple, and Aislinn Martin went two for five with two RBIs. Pancino struck out 10.
First-round playoff winners advance to play second-round games at 3:15 p.m. next Tuesday.
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Vikings, Barons, Warriors end seasons
Marina lost consecutive games to Sunset League champion Los Alamitos (3-0) May 12 and Edison (9-0), the latter in a league play-in game Friday to determine third place and a CIF-SS playoff berth, to end its season. The Vikings finished 11-17 overall.
Fountain Valley used a late, two-run home run by Madeline Domingo to defeat Huntington Beach May 12, 3-2. The Barons fell in a league playoff game later that day to Edison, 6-4.
Brethren Christian won for the first time in more than four years in Academy League play by defeating Cypress Oxford Academy in its final league and regular-season game May 11, 7-5. The Warriors jumped out to a 4-0 lead through four innings, fell behind, 5-4, tied the score and then won the game by scoring twice in the sixth.
BC was led at the plate by sophomore Effie Hill who went three for four with an RBI and two runs scored. Senior Sierra Whitmire had two hits including a run-scoring single in the sixth. Junior Sam Kobel had a hit and RBI, and sophomores Sydney Warkentin and Brittney Cuevas both singled and scored a run. Junior Katelynn Jaminez pitched a complete game and struck out eight.
The Warriors went 1-7 in league and finished 7-9 overall.
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CIF Weekly Rankings (final regular season)
Huntington Beach (No. 7, Division 1).
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Twitter: @MikeSciacca
