Rosary Puts the Heat on Ocean View

Ocean View softball Coach Chris Gulla sweated out Friday’s Golden West League game against Rosary--literally.

Despite the 80 degree temperature, Gulla let his superstitions get the best of him and wore his lucky sweatsuit for the game.

“Boy, is it hot,” Gulla said early in the game. “But, I’m going to keep wearing this until we lose.”

In Ocean View’s next game, unless the temperature falls back into the 60s, expect to see Gulla in some cooler attire. Ocean View fell to Rosary, 4-0, at Lions Field.

Rosary (11-8, 2-0) picked up three runs in the third inning on two infield errors by Ocean View (8-11, 1-1) and coupled with a strong performance from pitcher Mallory Anderson (5-3), picked up the victory.

“We preach to the team that until league starts, everything else is practice,” Rosary Coach Tom Tice said. “We’ve played a really tough schedule so far and we’ve learned a lot in those games.”

Erin Kenney opened the third inning with a bloop single to center for Rosary. After a popout by Tymarie Novak, Dana Kenney bunted. Third baseman Nikki Barton’s throw to first was on time, but first baseman Jessica Carney dropped the ball, giving Rosary runners on first and second. Lauren McIntosh followed with a bunt right in front of the plate and Barton’s throw to first sailed over Carney’s head, allowing Erin Kenney and Dana Kenney to score. Erin Hogan drove in Rosary’s third run of the inning with a single to center, scoring McIntosh.

The Royals only earned run came on Samantha Jennings’ second home run of the season over the left-field fence in the fourth.

Anderson (5-3) had a no-hitter through four innings, but Ocean View finally picked up its first hit on a single by Barton in the fifth. Anderson allowed only two more hits, as the defense closed out the game with a 5-4-3 double play.

“[Anderson’s] bread and butter is her outside pitch and she wasn’t getting it today,” Tice said. “She didn’t have her best stuff, but it was good enough.”