Ocean View Little League takes battle of Angels

HUNTINGTON BEACH — In a matchup of Angels, only one team would earn its wings and advance in the Little League District 62 Tournament of Champions.

Ryan Gudmundson made sure it was Ocean View, pitching four strong innings as OVLL topped Seaview, 4-3, in a TOC Major Division quarterfinal Tuesday at Huntington Valley Little League’s

The Ocean View Angels advance to the semifinals of the single-elimination tournament, set for tonight at 5:30 p.m. also at Huntington Valley. The Major championship game is Saturday at 10 a.m. at Ocean View, as are the title games for Minor A and Minor B.

His parents might say otherwise, but in baseball terms, Gudmundson hasn’t been an Angel for long. He played this regular season with the OVLL Major Padres, but the Angels needed another pitcher for TOC with standout Daniel Schulze on vacation.

He kept Seaview off balance for much of Tuesday’s game after entering in the third inning.

“It was a little tough getting to know everybody,” Gudmundson said of joining the Angels at the end of the regular season. “But it was good to be on a winning team. Everybody has great bats, great gloves, so it’s good.”

Seaview took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, as Cole Rakhshani’s double scored Logan Steinle. But Ocean View battled back in the bottom of the inning. Daniel Amaral, son of former major leaguer Rich Amaral — an assistant coach for the Angels — led off with a bunt single and took third on a two-base error. He then came home when Chad Minato got his own bunt single down, and Minato scored on Luke Williams’ RBI triple.

Seaview tied it in the third on Rakhshani’s leadoff home run to right, but Ocean View again had an answer. Hagen Danner’s homer to left gave the Ocean View Angels a 3-2 lead, then Jett Volo followed with a double and scored on Williams’ single.

“We’ve played good defense all year,” Ocean View Coach Tod Minato said. “We can lose someone like [Schulze] and still keep the runs down. We’re in every game. That’s been the hallmark of our team.”

Seaview’s Connor Hisgen scored in the top of the sixth to make it interesting. But, with runners on first and second, Gudmundson got his sixth strikeout of the game to end it.

Starting pitcher Truman Bazer also battled for Seaview, and Daniel Plunkett was two for two.

Ocean View’s Danner was two for three and Armando Duarte also had a hit.

“They caught us on our heels in the first inning,” Seaview Coach Kelly Stovall said. “[Bazer] pitched well, hit his spots good. We just had some mistakes on our end and that’s what got us in the end.”

In other District 62 TOC action:

?The Robinwood Phillies won their Major Division opener by downing the Costa Mesa America Dodgers, 11-4, on Monday. Greg Fronek Jr. had 10 strikeouts and also a bases-clearing triple for Robinwood.

?The Huntington Valley Rays were also victorious in their Major Division opener, beating the Costa Mesa National Rays, 4-2.

Kobie Anton had the go-ahead single for Huntington Valley, Tommy Blood hit a home run and Tyler Murray pitched a complete game.

?The Huntington Valley Cubs also won their Major Division tournament opener, 10-4, over the Costa Mesa American Red Sox Saturday.

Clay Morris pitched well for the Cubs and he, Jake Scott and Cody Reyes all scored twice.

?In Minor B action, the HVLL Tigers battled in their TOC opener before falling to the OVLL Rockhounds, 8-6. The game was scoreless early before the Rockhounds pulled ahead with a two-run home run.

The Tigers included players Josiah McCown, Josh Eley, Connor Neves, Connor Sandford, Keoni Macayan, Parker Tovatt, Westin Hipke, Chase Radi, Mason Williams, Seth Haden and Donnie Schulte. Coaches were Jon McCown, John Haden and Trevor Neves.