PREP SOFTBALL ROUNDUP : Ocean View Bounces Westminster Into Third

The ball spun with the ferocity of a top and bounced off Megan Reed like a pinball. It wasn’t much to look at, but Tracy Wilkinson’s little spinner toward first base symbolized the unbelievable nature of Ocean View’s 6-4 Golden West League softball victory over Westminster on Wednesday.

Ocean View (17-6-1, 11-3-1 in league) moved into second place over Westminster (13-8, 11-4) in the season finale. The Southern Section Division II playoffs begin May 19; though Ocean View should get a better draw because of its second-place finish, it didn’t look like the Seahawks were going to be so fortunate.

Winning pitcher Kathy Ponce said she thought the game was lost after she served up a two-run home run to Westminster pitcher Brenda Quinn, which gave the Lions a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

She wasn’t given much comfort in the seventh when teammate Lisa Messick, trying to score from second base, was thrown out at home by right fielder DeeAnn Keene for the second out of the inning. Still, Ponce (who walked) was on third base after a single by Cara Vanderhook, who had three hits and drove in three runs.

Then Wilkinson hit Quinn’s outside pitch off the end of her bat, creating enough spin to play games with Reed. The first baseman never was able to make a good grab at the ball as it spun away into foul territory for an error. Wilkinson was safe at first, Ponce crossed the plate to tie the score, and Westminster’s hold on second place was shaky.

Leslie Murillo pinch-ran at second base for Vanderhook and scored when shortstop Kelly Hauxhurst threw away Sara Gulla’s bouncer. Then Wilkinson scored from third when Jamie Willson bounced a ball into the hole at shortstop and beat the throw to first base.

Westminster went down on seven pitches in the bottom of the seventh inning.

“This is the first time all year we’ve caught any kind of good luck,” Ocean View Coach John Sansone said. “Sometimes you get the breaks and sometimes you don’t; today, we got the breaks.

“I’m sorry we’re not playing tomorrow when we have this kind of momentum.”

Ocean View, which lost to Westminster, 1-0, on Monday, has won eight of its last nine games.

“This game was important,” said Ponce, who gave up four hits and struck out four, raising her season total to 190. “If we wouldn’t have won, it would have brought our team down for the playoffs. We would have lost two in a row (and finished third) and faced one of the better teams in the division.”

Instead, that burden falls on Westminster.

“But we’re still going in as a good team,” Westminster Coach Gretchen Bock said. “You always want to play a lesser team, but that’s not going to affect the outcome; we’re still going to take the steps (toward the title).”

In other Golden West League games:

Rosary 11, Tustin 0 (5, mercy)--Lesley Fulton had three hits, including two home runs, and five runs batted in, and Laura Fulton had two hits, two RBIs and scored two runs as No. 7 Rosary (19-6, 12-2) won the league title.

Saddleback 10, Santa Ana 1--Linsey Buendia pitched a two-hitter and was two for four and Diane Held was two for four with an RBI for Saddleback (6-11, 4-10).

In the Arrowhead League:

Southern California Christian 15, La Verne Lutheran 14--Tiffany Markley’s single in the bottom of the seventh inning helped Southern California Christian (8-9, 5-4) to the victory.

In the Olympic League:

Brethren Christian 2, Orange Lutheran 0--Brooke Hofstetter pitched a no-hitter for Brethren Christian (11-9, 5-5).