Ocean View LL All-Stars dominant in winning district title

For the past month, local Little League teams have battled through District 62 Tournament of Champions and Little League All-Star Tournament play.

Saturday at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley, the district All-Star tournament came to an end with the Ocean View Little League All-Stars (12-year-olds), Huntington Valley 9/10 All-Stars, and Ocean View SuperStars (8/9 year-olds) All-Stars, winning district championships. The Ocean View 10/11 All-Stars captured their division’s district title July 7 at Mile Square Park.

The local district-winning All-Star teams take their next step in postseason play when they open Section 10 tournament play at various sites Saturday.

Little League All-Stars

Ocean View 5, Huntington Valley 0

Ocean View’s dominant run to the district championship ended with its fourth shutout victory in as many tournament games.

Pitcher AJ Hurtado threw a two-hit, complete-game shutout, striking out 15 and allowing just one walk along the way.

Jack Clark began the scoring for Ocean View when he hit a lead-off single in the third and later scored on a wild pitch. Jack Rockefeller sent an RBI pinch-hit single through the left side of the infield to score Kai Mullens who was pinch-running for Hurtado (one-out single).

Ocean View scored three insurance runs in the fifth. Hurtado singled for the third time in the game before pinch hitter Aaron Palacios hit a two-run home run over the fence in center field. Riley Reece ended the scoring when he smashed a run-scoring double to center.

Hurtado struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth to complete the victory.

In four tournament games, Ocean View outscored the opposition by a combined 40-0.

“AJ [Hurtado] pitched well the whole tournament as did our entire pitching staff,” Ocean View Manager Dana Lux said. “We scored a lot of runs and didn’t give up a single run.

“The whole thing was a complete team effort. All 14 kids did something to contribute to this title.”

Ocean View returns to Mile Square Park for the Section 10 Tournament which starts Saturday. Ocean View will face District 46 at 1 p.m. at Field No. 15. The double-elimination tournament runs through Wednesday.

The Ocean View Little League All-Star Team: Jack Rockefeller, Jimmy Legg, Antonio Ventimiglia, Chad Lux, Kai Mullens, Cade Hart, Jack Smith, Ethan Choi, Riley Reece, AJ Hurtado, Evan Knipe, Daniel Kotkosky, Aaron Palacios, Jack Clark. Manager: Dana Lux. Coaches: Toby Reece, Andy Hurtado.

10/11 All-Stars

Ocean View 8, Seaview 5 (seven innings)

In a game that went back-and-forth and needed extra innings to decide July 7, Ocean View used a pair of home runs in the seventh to turn back Seaview to win the district title.

In the top of the seventh, Mulivai Levu hit a home run, Colby Turner doubled and Jaylene Duarte hit a two-run home run to allow Ocean View to break the tie.

Ocean View staked its way to an early, 3-0 lead but Seaview battle back. In the bottom of the fourth, Seaview used a pair of walks, a key single by Rian Kraft and a two-out, three-run home run to right-center field by Dylan Otte, to take a 4-3 lead.

Ocean View scored two runs in the top of the fifth to regain the lead (5-4), but Seaview tied the score with a run in the bottom half of the frame. Kevin Andrus delivered a two-out, run-scoring single up the middle to bring in the tying run. On the play, Levu, playing at shortstop, threw out the potential winning run at the plate.

Ocean View, which went 3-0 en route to the tournament championship, started its title run with a one-hit, 6-0 win June 30 over Seaview.

Ocean View moves on to play in the Section 10 tournament and will face East Anaheim Little League (District 46) in an opening game at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ladera Ranch Cox Park (Field No. 4) in Ladera Ranch. The double-elimination tournament runs through Tuesday.

The Ocean View 10/11 All-Star Team: Roster: Sebastian Aparicio, Andrew Bentley, Roman Cianca, Rizzy Collado, Kyle Donoho, Jaylene Duarte, Jason Flory, Cole Kenrich, Luke Kumaric, Mulivai Levu, Bradley Navarro, Kyle Palmer, Colby Turner, Luke Walpole. Manager: Tony Cianca. Coaches: Mike Flory, John Burns.

9/10 All-Stars

Huntington Valley 9, Ocean View 1

Huntington Valley completed a 4-0 run in the tournament and secured a district championship with an eight-run victory in Saturday’s division final.

Nine Huntington Valley hitters recorded a hit and the victors scored five runs in the opening inning then added four more runs in a wire-to-wire victory. Pitchers Ivan Stoner and Wyatt Thomas combined to hold Ocean View to a single run and five hits while striking out seven.

It was the second win for Huntington Valley against Ocean View. The teams met in a tourney opener June 28, a game won by Huntington Valley, 7-6, in seven innings.

“It was a tremendous effort to defeat a very good Ocean View team,” Huntington Valley Manager Tony Armand said. “Our defense was excellent throughout the tournament and especially so [Saturday]. Our pitchers, Ivan Stoner and Wyatt Thomas, did a great job keeping the ball down and getting ground balls.

“We are excited to represent District 62 in the Section 10 tournament.”

Huntington Valley’s season continues with a trip to the Section 10 tournament which starts Saturday in Aliso Viejo. Huntington Valley will take on District 68 at 4 p.m. at Woodfield Park (Field No. 4). The double-elimination tournament runs through Wednesday.

The Huntington Valley 9/10 All-Star Team: Bradley Morlett, Connor Armand, Douglas Crystal, Andrew McKabney, Gage Everson, Gavin Pacheco, Ian Cadacio, Ivan Stoner, Noah Stockman, Ross Rector, Tanner Edson, Tony Martinez, Wyatt Thomas. Manager: Tony Armand. Coaches: Ed Pacheco, Dave Thomas.

SuperStars (8/9 year-olds)

Ocean View 5, Huntington Valley 4

Ocean View rallied from a one-run deficit to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth to pull out the victory and district title.

A double by Hudson Espinoza started the rally for Ocean View in the bottom of the sixth. Arian Palm and Brycen Janney also reached base before a walk-off single by Matt Haidl scored Palm with the winning run.

“I am so proud of our boys,” Ocean View Manager Dean Haidl said. “They are inspired by the amazing players that have come before them and are excited to carry on the Ocean View Little League tradition. This win was truly a team effort.”

Ocean View advances in postseason play and next will take on District 46 in a Section 10 tournament opener Saturday at 1 p.m. at Woodfield Park (Field No. 6) in Aliso Viejo. The double-elimination tournament runs through Wednesday.

The Ocean View SuperStars All-Stars Team: Freddie Angiuli, Gianlorenzo Conway, Hudson Espinoza, Donovan Farrell, Casey Flynn, Matt Haidl, Brycen Janney, Nick Murrey, Arian Palm, Jack Pollock, Jayden Reichelt, Tyler Soeltz, Tyler Twardowski. Manager: Dean Haidl. Coaches: John Pollock, Mike Murrey.

Junior All-Stars

Fountain Valley, which swept Ocean View in two games to win the district championship, advanced to the Section 10 tournament and was eliminated in the double-elimination event after single losses Saturday and Sunday at Boysen Park in Anaheim.

The Fountain Valley Junior All-Star Team: Nick Frederisy, Evan Frink, Sean Iida, Aaron Long, Jordan Mayfield, Andrew Nguyen, Sean Okawa, Chase Rousselo, Isaac Salas, Elias Salman, Jake Sleeth, Christopher Thorne, Tyler Weaver. Manager: Rich Romine. Coaches: Mike Romine, Nick Sleeth.