Ocean View SuperStars capture Section 10 title

Little League District 62 All-Star teams met the end of the road in postseason play this week in various Section 10 tournament action played at various sites in Orange County.

One district team, the Ocean View SuperStars team, headed into the offseason with a section championship.

SuperStars All-Stars

Ocean View completed a perfect run through postseason competition by winning three games at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo to capture to the Section 10 championship. The District 62 champion won the Section title Tuesday by staging a furious rally from five runs down to slip past host Aliso Viejo (District 55), 6-5.

In the final, Ocean View trailed Aliso Viejo, 5-0, through four innings. Pitchers Freddie Angiuli and Matt Haidl held Aliso Viejo scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, and Ocean View, trailing 5-1, staged its comeback in the bottom of the sixth.

Jayden Reichelt started the rally with a single up the middle, and Brycen Janney, Nick Murrey and Haidl all reached base and eventually scored to forge a 5-5 tie. With Casey Flynn on third base and two-out, Angiuli hit a shot into center-field to drive in Flynn with the winning run.

In its Section opener Saturday, Tyler Twardowski pitched a no-hitter and Nick Murrey, Jack Pollack and Freddie Angiuli each had three hits, as Ocean View overpowered East Anaheim (District 46), 18-0. In Game 2 Sunday, Murrey dominated on the mound with a two-hitter, and Casey Flynn and Matt Haidl each had three hits and scored three times on offense, as Ocean View eliminated Santa Margarita (District 68), 12-2.

Ocean View went 6-0 overall in postseason play.

“Throughout the run, we had contributions from every player,” Ocean View Manager Dean Haidl said. “The boys played hard and never gave up. We had two walk-off wins and even when facing a 5-1 deficit in the championship game, the boys continued to push hard for the win.”

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.

Little League All-Stars

Ocean View, champion of District 62, had its bid for a Section 10 championship come to an end Tuesday at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley.

That title instead when to Ladera Ranch as the champion of District 68 completed perfect to the tourney title with a 3-0 victory. Ladera Ranch outscored its three opponents, 24-4, and moves on to the Little League Sub Division Tournament.

Ocean View began tourney play Saturday and lost to East Anaheim (District 46), 8-3. The locals stayed alive in the double-elimination event by outlasting Aliso Viejo (District 55), 4-3, in an elimination game Sunday.

In a pitchers’ duel between Ocean View’s AJ Hurtado and Camden Neesen of Aliso Viejo, Ocean View faced a 2-0 deficit in the first inning, a score that stood through four innings. Jimmy Legg homered over the fence in center-field in the fifth which narrowed Ocean View’s deficit to 2-1. Aliso Viejo was able to pull back into a two-run lead in the top of the sixth when Neesen homered inside the foul pole in right-field.

In the bottom of the sixth, Riley Reece walked on four pitches to begin Ocean View’s comeback. With one out, Ocean View drew even when Kai Mullens homered to center-field. Ocean View then loaded the bases on a single by Danny Kotkosky, walk to Legg, and single by Jack Clark. Cade Hart delivered the game-winning RBI when he was hit by pitch for the walk-off victory.

The pitching win went to Jack Rockefeller who recorded the final out in the top of the sixth. Jack Smith gave a strong pitching performance in relief of Hurtado.

On Monday, Ocean View won its second elimination game and in the process, got even with East Anaheim by scoring a 9-2 victory. Clark and Mullens hit home runs, Clark, Hurtado and Antonio Ventimiglia had multiple hits to power Ocean View’s hitting attack, and Kotkosky registered the pitching with with a two-hit performance.

10/11 All-Stars

District 62 champion Ocean View was eliminated from title contention after dropping two close games in the Section 10 tournament at Ladera Ranch Cox Park.

In an opener Saturday, Ocean View was edged, 3-2, by Aliso Viejo (District 55), 3-2, in seven innings. In an elimination game, again lost a one-run game this time, to Santa Margarita (District 68), 8-7.

9/10 All-Stars

Huntington Valley’s run in Section 10 play came to a close Tuesday at Woodfield Park in Aliso Viejo. The District 62 champs fell, 6-3, to host Aliso Viejo (District 55) which went undefeated in winning the tournament.

Huntington Valley lost despite out-hitting Aliso Viejo, 9-7, and had only one batter strike out in six innings.

In its opener Saturday, Huntington Valley dropped a close, 7-4 game to Viejo (District 68). Trailing 4-0, Huntington Valley battled back to tie the score (4-4) only to see the lead slip away in the fourth inning. Gage Everson and Tony Martinez both had two hits, and Andrew McKabney (two innings) struck out four and allowed just one run in the loss.

Huntington Valley remained in the division title hunt Sunday by routing Anaheim (District 46), 28-1. Connor Armand went four for four with two RBIs and four runs scored, and Ross Rector three for four with four RBIs and four runs scored, to pace the big offensive attack. Everson and Gavin Pacheco each contributed three hits to the cause. Four Huntington Valley pitchers combined on a three-hitter.

Huntington Valley met Viejo again, this time in an elimination game Monday. Huntington Valley won the rematch, 13-3. Martinez hit a first-inning grand slam and also had a two-run double on a six-RBI night. Wyatt Thomas threw 3 2/3 innings and struck out seven.

“I am very proud of this team and excited to see what this group of boys can do over the coming two years at Huntington Valley Little League,” Huntington Valley Manager Tony Armand said.