Huntington Beach softball loses another player in win over Granite Hills at Michelle Carew Classic
Nothing’s coming easy for Huntington Beach High’s softball team this year, so the Oilers are taking Thursday night’s wild and painful victory in the Michelle Carew Classic somewhat in stride.
They pulled out a 6-5 triumph over CIF San Diego Section powerhouse El Cajon Granite Hills at Peralta Canyon Park in Anaheim, walking off with the winning run on an error in the bottom of the sixth inning, but it came with what could be a hefty price.
Second baseman Megan Ryono had to depart in the fifth inning, just moments after driving home two runs to give Huntington Beach (12-5) its first lead. There’s no word when she’ll be able to return. The senior captain hurt her left shoulder, knocking it out of its socket while diving toward the baseline on an infield single by Eagles pitcher Catie Dobbs.
That’s nothing new for the Oilers: Ryono’s twin sister, Kelly, the starting first baseman, is out for the season after tearing her left labrum in a similar situation, and starting left fielder Shelbi Ortiz (ankle) and vital role player Lauren Cox (shoulder) are sidelined, too.
“We’ve got three captains, and all three have been injured,” Oilers coach Jeff Forsberg said. “It just happens. It’s just one of those years. I actually think these kids will have no idea how wacky this year is until later in life. But they pick each other up and know that their teammates got [their back]. That’s the best part for us.
“We’ve won 12 games, and I don’t know how we’ve done it. It’s been kind of amazing. ... You come out here and it’s almost like you play the game, you win the game, and you lose a kid. And play the next game, win the game, and you lose another kid.”
At least Katelyn Mangrello can play again.
She’s just back from the injured list, and her ball down the first-base line won the game, scoring Anna Carreon — Ryono’s replacement — when Granite Hills first baseman Sydney Huse failed to field it cleanly. The game ended because no new inning can begin 1 hour 45 minutes after first pitch.
The result left all three Group F teams with a win and a loss — the Oilers dropped an 8-4 decision Wednesday to Yucaipa — and Huntington Beach’s run differential left it third. Next up is a Bronze Bracket quarterfinal against Cienega (11-9), from Vail, Ariz., about 25 miles southeast of Tucson.
Jadelyn Allchin belted two doubles and scored two runs for the Oilers, who fell behind in the first inning, pulled even in the third when Ryono’s grounder brought home Valerie Rudd and Allchin followed on a subsequent throwing error, and went ahead on Ryono’s chopper over the third baseman in the fourth.
Granite Hills (12-5), which didn’t score an earned run, rallied to make it 4-4 in the fifth — the tallies coming on an error and a wild pitch — and Huntington Beach went ahead again in the bottom of the inning. Ameryn Humble brought home pinch-runner Helena Gonzalez on a groundout, only to see the Eagles rally again in the sixth with the help of two errors.
Carreon walked on four pitches in the bottom of the sixth, and went to third on Malia Cockrell’s single down the third-base line, with Cockrell taking second on the throw toward home. Starting pitcher Devyn Greer was intentionally walked to load the bases, and Mangrello slapped a full-count pitch toward first base.
“We work on it in practice,” Forsberg said. “Just put the ball in play, let them throw the ball around, and Katelyn’s a very savvy hitter.”
Greer went five innings, surrendering six hits and four walks, and Grace Uribe (5-4) threw a hitless sixth for the victory.
SCOTT FRENCH is a contributor to Times Community News.
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