Dos Pueblos edges Ocean View in 11 innings
HUNTINGTON BEACH – Ocean View had its chances Thursday in a CIF-SS Division 4 quarterfinal softball game, such as when Celine Fuentes lined a double into left field in the 10th inning.
And the Sea Hawks had a base runner on third base in the fourth and fifth innings.
But every time Ocean View got close to breaking the scoreless tie, Hannah Harris pitched Dos Pueblos of Goleta out of trouble. The visiting Chargers eventually scored a run to beat Ocean View, 1-0, in 11 innings and move on to the semifinals.
Harris saw her bid for a no-hitter come to an end in the eighth inning when Fuentes singled with one out. The Chargers (20-9), though, caught her stealing a few moments later.
“She was tough. She was the best pitcher that we have seen this year,” Ocean View coach Mike McLaughlan said of Harris. “We started to get to her toward the end there.”
The Sea Hawks (20-7) nearly won the game in the bottom of the 10th. With two outs and Emily Long on second base after getting aboard on a fielder's choice, Fuentes came through with her double. Long rounded third and started to head for home, but she was ordered to hold at third by the base coach.
Harris got the next batter to ground out and the inning was over.
“That was one of those bang-bang plays. They got to the ball quickly, and we didn’t have our fastest runner out there,” McLaughlan said. “You hate to have the third out at the plate.
"We just came up a bit short. If we make a play here or there, we are probably still playing. It was two great teams and both battled really well.”
Brittany Hitchcock, the Sea Hawks’ sophomore ace, recorded her 10th strikeout of the game when she fanned the Chargers’ leadoff hitter in the top of the 11th. But Dos Pueblos took control of the game after that.
Chloe Madill singled to right-center field, Harris dribbled a ground ball to second for an infield hit and Jordan Roberts lifted a high fly ball to shallow center. Ericka Jason tried to get a glove on it for the Sea Hawks, but she couldn’t make the catch and Madill sprinted home with the winning run.
“I thought our kids played extremely well. They left it all on the field,” McLaughlan said. “We had a great, great season. I am proud of what they have done.”
