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Oilers, Chargers battling

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Two thorough victories to end the previous week, has left two teams tied for the top spot in the Sunset League softball race.

Huntington Beach went into spring break tied with Edison for the Sunset lead, as both the Oilers and Chargers picked up double-digit wins April 10.

Huntington, ranked sixth in CIF Southern Section Division 1, took a 12-2 win from Fountain Valley in a game that went five innings. Alyssa Horeczko had four hits and scored three runs, and Ivy Davis had three hits and three RBIs for the Oilers who racked up 16 hits. Sammie Vandiver, Kristina Inouye and Anna Kufta each had two hits.

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Senior Micaela Vierra won her 10th game of the season, yielding four hits while striking out eight.

Huntington, which has won four in a row and eight of its last nine games, improved to 2-0 in league and 14-3 overall.

“It was important for us to get off to good start in our league which is the area’s best,” Huntington Coach Jeff Forsberg said. “The Fountain Valley game was an electric atmosphere as we had a great crowd and we played to that quite well.

“With spring break and two away games pending, we will have our work cut out for us but so far this group is really staying within the system and playing well.”

Edison also only needed five innings to subdue Newport Harbor and routed the Sailors, 13-0. Liz Talataina hit a three-run home run and finished with four RBIs, Riley Wester went four for four with two RBIs and stole two bases, Ali Wester went three for three with an RBI and stole three bases, Kayla Neff doubled and singled and drove in a run, and McKenna Doose doubled, had a sacrifice fly and three RBIs.

Kiana Pancino (6-4) was perfect in five innings and finished with 11 strikeouts as Edison went to 2-0 in league and 6-5 overall.

“The girls are coming out to the field ready to play every day,” Edison Coach Kim Ensey said. “We came out strong and Kiana (Pancino) pitched a great game.”

Defending Sunset champ Marina squared its league mark at 1-1 by rallying from a three-run deficit to win, 5-4, in eight innings at Los Alamitos.

Keala Cordeiro started the top of the eighth with a single, moved to third and scored when freshman catcher Ryan King singled up the middle.

“We are getting back on track from our slump,” said Marina Coach Shelly Luth whose team is ranked eighth this week in CIF Southern Section Division 1. “It was a huge win for us. Coming from behind and winning is a great way for us to rejuvenate ourselves.

“Our spring break is coming at a great time. The kids need some rest.”

In Sunset League openers April 8, Edison defeated visiting Marina, 5-2, Huntington blanked Newport Harbor, 7-0, and Fountain Valley rallied past visiting Los Alamitos, 7-6.

In Huntington’s 7-0 shutout of Newport Harbor, Vierra pitched a complete-game no-hitter with 17 strikeouts, and Vandiver had a single, double and triple. Inouye, Kufta, Horeczko and Jasmine Melgoza had two hits for the Oilers.

Edison trailed Marina, 1-0, through three innings but scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead which paved the way to an eventual, 5-2 victory. Junior Heather Desrosiers tied the score with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, and later hit a solo home run, Ali Wester had two hits and an RBI and stolen base, Riley Wester a hit and RBI, and freshman Aislinn Martin drove in a run for the Chargers.

Pancino threw a three-hitter and struck out five for the win.

“This was a huge win for our team,” Ensey said. “We have been playing well but our league is as strong as they come. We needed to play our best, and we did.”

Senior Kelli Tatum had two hits and three RBIs in Fountain Valley’s come-from-behind, 7-6 win over Los Alamitos.

Local teams are idle this week during spring break and return to Sunset League play next Tuesday. At 3:15 p.m. that day, Edison travels to Los Alamitos, Huntington is at Marina, and Fountain Valley hosts Newport Harbor.

In Golden West League softball action Friday, Ocean View, ranked second in CIF Southern Section Division 4, was upended, 5-1, at home by 10th-ranked Loara.

The score was tied, 1-1, heading into the fifth inning. Ocean View’s usually steady defense committed three errors that led to four unearned runs for the Saxons.

Seahawks pitcher Billi Derleth pitched well in defeat, allowing six hits and an earned run with sixth strikeouts. Jade Bustamonte led the Ocean View offense with three hits including a home run.

The loss dropped the Seahawks to 1-1 in league, and 13-4 overall.

“I thought we played well until the fifth inning, then we mis-played a few routine plays that opened the doors for Loara and they took advantage for the win,” Ocean View Coach Mike McLaughlan said.

Ocean View returns to league play next Wednesday at 3:15 p.m. at Segerstrom.

CIF Weekly Rankings

Softball: Huntington Beach (No. 6, Division 1); Marina (No. 8, Division 1); Ocean View (No. 7, Division 4).

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