Ocean View softball opens tourney with a bang

The Ocean View High girls’ softball team began its title defense at the Costa Mesa Tournament Saturday and rolled up 45 runs on offense and yielded only two runs defensively in scoring a pair of easy victories.

In their tourney opener, the Seahawks, who entered the season ranked No. 9 in CIF Southern Section Division 4, overpowered Estancia, 22-2. In their second game of the day, they overwhelmed via shutout, Corona del Mar, 23-0.

For both games, sophomore Kim MacPherson went eight for nine producing five singles, a double and two home runs including a grand slam. Sophomore Penelope Russ went five for six with three singles, a double and home run, and senior Indiana Boes went four for seven with two singles, a double and home run.

Junior Breann Page allowed only two walks and one earned run with seven strikeouts in the two games.

The two games marked the start of Liberty McCollum’s tenure as head coach of the Seahawks.

“For our first outing of the season, I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I was very happy to see our bats start off strong and our communication on the field was strong also. I did get a glimpse of what we need to work on and luckily, it’s early in the season so we have time for improvement. All I know is we will keep working hard.”

—

•In other softball action:

Edison played a pair of nonleague games last week and split the two.

In a March 1 game at Trabuco Hills, the Chargers routed the host Mustangs, 15-3. Junior Rachel Abboud went three for three with a home run and three RBIs and scored three times. Senior Kiana Pancino won in her first start.

The Chargers hosted Santa Clarita West Ranch, the second-ranked team in CIF-SS Division 1, March 2 and the visiting Wildcats scored a 6-2 win. Abboud went three for three with another home run and had two RBIs.

“Two very different games where we were tested in two different ways,” is how Edison Coach Kim Ensey described her team’s opening week of the season. “We will need to play cleaner if we want to beat teams like West Ranch. That’s the only way we will be prepared to compete in the Sunset League.”

—

•Brethren Christian started its season March 3 at Bolsa Grande and was outscored by the host Matadors, 11-9.

BC was led on offense by junior Amber McKee who singled three times and had an RBI, sophomore Effie Hill who also had three singles and an RBI and scored once, junior Samantha Kobel with two singles and two RBIs, senior Sierra Whitmire with two singles, run scored and RBI, and junior Katelynn Jaminez with a single, double and two runs scored. Jaminez gave up two runs on three hits with two strikeouts in four innings pitched.

—

Boys’ Volleyball

Edison ran its record to 2-1 Friday by taking down visiting Orange Lutheran, 25-23, 25-16, 25-17. Senior outside hitter Liam Macias had eight kills, junior middle blocker Joe Leas seven kills and senior setter Jacob Gilliam 20 assists for the Chargers.

In a nonleague game March 1, Edison was edged in five games by San Clemente. The Tritons, the No. 5 team preseason in CIF-SS Division 1, held on for a 29-27, 17-25, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13 win.

The Chargers launched their season Feb. 27 with a sweep, defeating visiting Servite, ranked no. 7 preseason in Division 1, 25-23, 25-21, 25-21.

“We have shown our depth with three different kill leaders in all three matches,” Edison Coach Matt Skolnik said. “Everyone stepped up to contribute in our match against Orange Lutheran.”

—

CIF Weekly Rankings (released Monday)

Softball: Ocean View (No. 9, Division 4).