PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Ocean View Puts Westminster Back in Its Place

Both teams were in an unusual position Friday afternoon--Westminster was in sole possession of first place for the first time in more than a decade, and Golden West League-favorite Ocean View was in second.

But all that changed with the swing of the bat from an .056 hitter.

Tracy Wilkinson’s two-run homer capped a four-run, fifth-inning rally giving host Ocean View a 5-3 victory and put the Seahawks atop the league softball standings again.

Wilkinson, a senior making only her third start in two years behind the plate, had no idea what kind of pitch she hit (“I just kinda swung at it”), but her line drive over center fielder Kelly Hauxhurst’s glove helped salvage Kathy Ponce’s two-hitter. Ponce’s two-run double earlier in the inning, and her RBI single in the third, accounted for the other runs.

Fifth-ranked Ocean View (6-0-1 overall, 4-0-1) suffered a disappointing setback Wednesday when it couldn’t protect a two-run lead and tied Tustin, 3-3.

That outcome made Friday’s victory critical because Ocean View plays Rosary twice next week; Rosary was supposed to be the Seahawks’ primary challenger for league title.

Westminster Coach Gretchen Bock played for an undefeated Ocean View team in 1985 while both teams were in the Sunset League; she said Thursday was the first full day Westminster (4-4, 4-1) had been alone in first place that she could remember.

She also lamented the lost opportunity, failing to win despite scoring three runs off one of the county’s best pitchers.

Westminster got both its hits, including a two-run single by Monica Monroy, in a three-run third inning.

“We felt this game was going to make or break our season,” said Ponce, who had nine strikeouts. “All of us were really down, especially me, after blowing a two-run lead against Tustin. This was important for us as a team.”

In other Golden West League games:

Saddleback 5, Santa Ana 1--Linsey Buendia pitched a three-hitter for Saddleback (3-5, 1-4). Santa Ana fell to 1-11.

Rosary 4, Tustin 0--Julie Luna pitched a three-hitter with four strikeouts for Rosary (7-4, 3-2). Lesley Fulton had two hits and two RBIs for the Royals.

In the Academy League:

Liberty Christian 8, St. Margaret’s 2--Michelle Hulick pitched a two-hitter and struck out 14 to lead Liberty Christian (7-5, 1-1).

In the Olympic League:

Whittier Christian 11, Orange Lutheran 7--Jodi Alessi, Leah Borders and Joey Miller each hit a home run for Whittier Christian (4-5, 1-0). Miller pitched a complete game and struck out 12.

In nonleague games:

West Covina Charter Oak 3, Brea Olinda 1--Anne Knobbe went two for three with one RBI and Angela Thompson went two for three for Brea Olinda (4-5). West Covina is 7-4.

San Clemente 11, Santa Margarita 2--Heather Hollis was four for four with three RBIs for seventh-ranked San Clemente (11-1). Brittnay Carlson improved to 5-1, throwing a five hitter with six strikeouts for the Tritons.

Irvine 4, Aliso Niguel 3 (8)--Lindsey Matthews scored on Chrissy Greenwood’s fielder’s choice in the bottom of the eighth inning for Irvine (5-3). Matthews had reached base on an error.