Oilers open Sunset race with win

Colin Balester’s performance on the mound went a long way in

Huntington Beach High’s Sunset League-opening victory over Fountain

Valley.

The senior, an all-league pitcher last year, limited the visiting

Barons to just three hits in a complete-game effort as the Oilers

prevailed, 3-2.

It was Balester’s first victory of the season.

Huntington actually trailed by scores of 1-0 and 2-1 before coming

up with a two-run rally in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead

for good.

Sophomore Cameron McMullen delivered two RBI for the Oilers and

senior Jordan Hargrave hit a double among Huntington’s six-hit total.

In other Sunset League openers, Edison was a 3-2 winner over Los

Alamitos and No. 1 Marina was upended by Esperanza, 12-5.

Junior Garrett De Grazio knocked in the winning run in the bottom

of the seventh inning to lift Edison to victory.

Senior Chris Grubb smacked a solo home run in the fourth inning to

give the Chargers a 2-1 lead.

Junior Danny Higgins went the distance and gave up five hits in

improving his record to 4-0.

Marina found the going tough in its league opener, as Esperanza

used a seven-run fourth inning, aided by Marina errors, to claim a

12-5 victory.

It was the first loss of the season for Marina, which was coming

off a championship run at the Loara Tournament.

Senior Brooks Walling hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning and

also doubled to lead the Vikings on offense

Brandon Parillo also doubled for Marina.

Walling, who suffered his first loss of the year, started on the

mound and was one of four Vikings to see pitching action.

Marina did bounce back from the debacle at Esperanza to sweep a

nonleague doubleheader from Moorpark, 2-0 and 5-1, handing the host

Musketeers their first losses of the season.

Parillo went the distance in the first game. The senior

surrendered just two hits in improving to 2-0.

Adam Rodriguez doubled and had an RBI and Chris Torres doubled for

the Vikings.

In the second game, Matt Candlish pitched a complete game, his

three-hit effort improving his record to 3-0.

Parillo doubled twice with an RBI. Luis Gonzalez collected two RBI

and Rodriguez had one RBI.

La Quinta scored a run in the bottom of the seventh inning to

break a tie and pull out a 3-2 nonleague win over visiting Ocean

View.

Robert Purpura hit a solo home run in the third inning and Derek

Walsh doubled for the Seahawks.

In softball, Edison rode a four-run first inning to an eventual

5-3 victory over visiting Cavalry Chapel.

Monica Chavez smacked a triple and collected four RBI to power the

Chargers.

Krystina Ramirez pitched a complete game and notched her fifth

victory.

Edison also edged Rancho Alamitos, 3-2, in a first-round game at

the Timberwolf Tournament in Irvine.

Ramirez, who got the pitching win to improve to 6-2, had an RBI,

as did teammates Vanessa Hardway and Heather Hamilton.

The Chargers also defeated Mission Viejo, 5-1.

In the title game of the Laguna Hills Tournament, Marina was

limited to two hits by tournament MVP Kandi Henry in a 2-0 loss to

Dana Hills.

In an earlier game, Marina shaded Laguna Hills, 2-1.

Krystal Heinle limited the Hawks to just one hit in securing her

sixth win of the year.

In boys volleyball, Huntington came back from two games down to

record a stirring, 25-27, 18-25, 25-21, 28-26, 15-12 victory over

Newport Beach.

Ocean View dropped its Golden West League opener to Estancia,

17-25, 14-25, 23-25.

In boys tennis, Kevin Radle earned a sweep at No. 2 singles as

Marina downed visiting La Quinta, 11-7.

Edison dropped an 11-7 nonleague decision to host Brentwood.

Thomas Shubert swept at No. 2 singles for the Chargers.