Losing a league game would not bother Huntington Beach.
If the Oilers play like they did Thursday, they might never have to worry about that.
Huntington Beach pitched, hit and fielded smoothly and productively Thursday to beat Newport Harbor, 4-0, in a Sunset League baseball game at Huntington.
The Oilers (11-2 overall), ranked No.2 in Orange County and No.1 in CIF-Southern Section Division 1, are 7-0 in league with eight games to play.
Noah Davis pitched five innings. Jason Kuet led off the first inning with a home run on the first pitch he saw after, in the top of the inning, making a diving snag of a grounder up the middle to start a double play.
Logan Pouelsen had an RBI double in the second inning. Kuet led off the fifth with a double and eventually scored on a balk. Cooper Moore had a run-scoring single in the inning.
Huntington Beach takes a 10-game winning streak, the longest current streak in county baseball, into the National Classic that begins Monday.
The Oilers go into the tournament relaxed about their winning streak, the rankings that include a No.7 position in CalHiSports.com’s California top 20, and that zero in the Sunset League loss column.
“Our coach (Benji Medure) keeps us calm about that,” said Kuet, a senior shortstop who committed to Stanford. “He tells us we shouldn’t be afraid to lose or make mistakes.”
Davis, a junior who committed to UC Santa Barbara, gave up eight hits, walked none and struck out four. Hagen Danner pitched a scoreless sixth inning and Clay Morris shut out Newport Harbor in the seventh. Errorless defense supported the trio of pitchers.
Newport Harbor (8-7, 2-5) had its chances but could not convert. The Sailors had nine hits. They advanced runners to third base three times, including loading the bases in the sixth inning, but were unable to get a run across.
The Sailors play in the Beach Pit Classic that begins Monday.
Also in the Sunset League:
No. 5 Fountain Valley 12, Los Alamitos 3: Brock Lundquist homered and Scott Schultz improved to 7-0 for the visiting Barons (10-4, 6-1).
In the Empire League:
Valencia 9, Yorba Linda 1: Anthony Larrasquitu drove in two runs for the visiting Tigers (15-2, 6-1).
In the Pacific Coast League:
Beckman 7, University 4: Chase Bartholomew and Dallas Dey both went 3 for 3 for the host, league-leading Patriots (10-2, 6-1).
Contact the writer: sfryer@ocregister.com
