Arizmendi, Ocean View softball shut out Fountain Valley
There’s something about pitching against Fountain Valley High School that brings out the best in Ocean View’s Desyree Arizmendi.
The Seahawks senior went seven strong innings in a complete game, a 2-0 shutout of Fountain Valley Saturday at Ocean View High.
Arizmendi scattered seven hits and struck out nine while surrendering just one walk. She said she relishes the challenge that pitching against Fountain Valley presents.
“I think it’s just playing a higher level of competition,” she said. “I’m preparing for college this year as a senior. Wherever I may go, wherever my next journey is, it’s helped me see where I’m at against them.”
Saturday’s win was her second complete-game shutout versus the Barons this season. She beat them 3-0 nearly two weeks ago.
Ocean View (3-4) enjoyed significant contributions from two freshmen, as well. Sienna Erskine singled to drive in the Seahawks’ second run. She also advanced runners with a sacrifice bunt, enabling fellow freshman Ashley Capelouto to drive in the game’s first run.
Erskine credited her teammates for her success. A textbook hook slide by Kaitlyn Conklin helped her collect a run batted in.
“My teammates have my back, and they are really solid people,” Erskine said. “I think [Conklin] did amazing. She made that RBI, which really mattered to me.”
Ocean View head coach Liberty McCollum’s freshmen players have jumped into key roles when she’s needed them most. The Seahawks lost multiple players who opted not to play amid concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s amazing,” McCollum said. “I’ve been here six or seven years; we have never had athleticism like this ever. There’s always a few, but we have a solid group of athletes this year. That was the big surprise for us.”
In spite of the loss, Fountain Valley (2-5) kept the game close, thanks to a strong pitching performance of its own.
Senior CJ Garcia took the mound in the third inning, relieving Jennifer Love. Garcia allowed just five hits and one run while walking two in four innings.
“My mindset was just to lay down some ground balls so my defense could get me out of innings,” she said. “I really trust my defense to help me out and get me out of situations.”
On offense, Fountain Valley’s Makenzie Butt and Kira Velasco each delivered two hits in three plate appearances. Garcia added a triple for the Barons.
Ocean View and Fountain Valley battled through two scoreless innings before Conklin reached via a single. She then advanced on a stolen base attempt that was ruled interference by the umpire.
After Autumn Machurro walked, Erskine dropped a bunt down the first-base line, advancing the runners to second and third. Capelouto then drove in Conklin with a line-drive single to left field.
The Seahawks may have had a bigger inning had it not been for the throwing arm of Fountain Valley catcher Brooke Bonny, who picked off Machurro at third following Capelouto’s single. That was one of two pickoffs for Bonny, who also picked a Seahawks runner off first base and ended a threat in the first inning by catching a runner trying to steal third base.
“I haven’t done that all season,” Bonny said. “It was great. We executed some trick plays, and I was able to throw out some runners.”
Fountain Valley head coach Rick Aldrich said he enjoyed seeing Bonny wreak havoc on Ocean View runners.
“She’s just aggressive,” he said. “You aren’t going to get them if you don’t throw, so we are trying to get her to be more aggressive.”
Ocean View added an insurance run off Erskine’s bat when she drove in Conklin with a double in the fifth inning. Conklin scored both Ocean View runs in addition to going two for two at the plate.
Ocean View hosts Huntington Beach Wednesday, while Fountain Valley will be home to the Oilers Friday.
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