Oilers outlast Chargers

Mike Sciacca

After the first two games during Friday night’s key Sunset League

boys’ volleyball match between host Edison and Huntington Beach, it

looked as though the visiting Oilers would earn their second sweep of

the season against the Chargers.

That didn’t happen, but the Oilers will take the victory.

Huntington needed five games to subdue Edison and left Dave Mohs

Gymnasium with a 25-19, 25-21, 24-26, 18-25, 15-13 victory.

The Oilers looked strong in the first two games and were on the

verge of repeating their April 12 home sweep of Edison. But the

Chargers came on strong, improved their passing and defense, and

climbed back into the match.

After Edison won games three and four, Huntington went ahead early

in the match-deciding fifth game, and then held on for the win.

Trey Valbuena led Huntington with 24 kills.

“We won those first two games and we were playing pretty good

there,” Huntington Beach coach Rocky Ciarelli said. “Then, Edison

started to pass well and their defense got better. Once their passing

improved, so did their play. This was a tough match.”

In softball, Edison shaded visiting Fountain Valley, 1-0, in

Sunset League play Monday. Freshman Jessica Brunner had a

game-winning RBI single in the eighth inning.

Junior Jessica Aldrich went the distance and picked up the win for

the Chargers.

In baseball, Ocean View continued its torrid run through its

Golden West League schedule by winning both of its recent outings.

In one of its tougher league games, Ocean View won at Saddleback,

4-2. The Seahawks didn’t gain control until the top of the sixth

inning, when they scored three runs to go ahead for good.

“Saddleback has been playing year round and it shows, because they

were a very tough opponent both games we played them,” Ocean View

coach Aaron Kavanagh said.

Jason Walker hit his second homerun of the year to bring Ocean

View into a 1-1 tie in the top of the third.

Saddleback regained the lead by scoring a run in the bottom of the

fourth, and held a 2-1 edge heading into the sixth. Jeff Roth walked

and Alex Burnett singled to open the top of the sixth inning. Two

outs later, Matt Hughes fouled off eight pitches with a two-strike

count and drew a walk to load the bases.

John Vega followed by drawing a walk to force home the tying run,

and Nick Floetker also walked, bringing in the go-ahead run. Derek

Martin bunted for a base hit to knock in the fourth run.

Burnett pitched a complete game, striking out nine to go with two

walks and five hits. He is now 6-3 heading into this week’s action,

and lowered his ERA to 2.25.

Ocean View followed that close win with a 14-1 pounding of Estancia.

“It was a big win because this puts us in the playoffs for the

third year in a row,” Kavanagh said.

James Kang doubled and hit his first home run, finishing with

three RBIs. Roth went three-for-four and, like Kang, doubled and

homered. Vega went two-for-four with a double and an RBI, and Derek

Martin went three-for-four with a double.

Roth went the distance and did not give up a run until the seventh

inning. He struck out 15 without yielding a walk, and gave up three

hits.

Ocean View played Wednesday at Costa Mesa, and returns home

Friday to host Orange in a game that could clinch the league title

for the Seahawks, who are 8-0 in league and 16-5 overall prior to

this week’s action.