Ocean View saddles up

Playing a game of hide and seek with Saddleback High pitcher Danny Gonzales Friday, the Ocean View baseball team came up with some key hits and emerged the winner in a Golden West League clash.

The big hit came from the bat of lead-off hitter James Kang, who provided the Seahawks with all the offense they would need. Kang belted a three-run home run in the bottom of the second inning, and Ocean View made those runs stand up for a 3-2 victory.

Kang went on to finish two for four, and he also pitched for the win, striking out six, walking none and improving his record to 5-2.

“James had a big game for us,” Ocean View Coach Shane Borowski said. “He has really developed as a pitcher, and the hard work he puts in at the plate is finally coming into fruition. He leads by example.”

On the other side of the mound, Gomez was at times wild, but he managed to keep Ocean View batters guessing.

“The report from my kids was, he hides the ball really well. That, coupled with occasional wildness, makes it hard for a hitter to dig in and take a good swing.”

Also shaping the game was the ejection of the Roadrunners’ pitching coach for arguing balls and strikes. Their first baseman also was ejected.

“The ejections acted as a rally-cry for them,” Boroski said of the Roadrunners. “They played better baseball and were more focused after it happened. From that point on, it was a good baseball game. What could have been a barn-burner turned into a nail-biter of a day.”

Sophomore James Miller continued to impress at the plate, this time getting two hits for Ocean View. Senior Nick McIsaac also had two hits, one a double.