Oilers keep playoff hopes alive

All it took was one big inning to push the Huntington Beach baseball team onward to a key Sea View League victory.

Needing a win over visiting El Toro to keep its postseason playoff hopes alive, the Oilers got just that when they turned a six-run third-inning into an 8-4 victory over the Chargers Friday.

Just two days ago, El Toro had blanked the OIlers 3-0.

Friday’s win puts Huntington in fourth-place in the league standings and sets up a two key games next week against Woodbridge that likely will determine the Oilers’ playoff fate.

Huntington is 6-7 in league and 11-12 overall.

“It’s a big difference from a few days ago,” Huntington Coach Benji Medure said in reference to Friday’s win compared to Wednesday’s performance at El Toro. “We had our opportunities to win that game the other day but we didn’t execute. We executed today, and that was the difference.”

There were two differences Friday that matter most to the Oilers who beat the Chargers for the first time in three games this year.

First there was that six-run outbrust in the third inning where Huntington combined four singles, a pair of walks and a hit batter into a commanding lead.

Seniors Sean Clarke, Clayton Prestridge, Adrian Conger and junior Michael Chairez, all singled in the frame.

The other key was the pitching of senior Calvin Drummond. The right-hander gave up several hits to the Chargers but as Huntington had done Wednesday, El Toro couldn’t convert its scoring opportunities.

“When Calvin’s working it, we win, and he was doing a great job today,” Medure said. “He didn’t want to come out in the seventh. He wanted to finish it off.”

But Drummond, who struck out four, did exit after surrendering back-to-back home runs to Aaron Wirsoh and Mike Barnhill at the start of the seventh inning which made things interesting. His replacement, Derek Neugebauer, closed the game. The senior gave up a one-out single but struck out the final two batters to clinch the win.

Prestridge had two hits and drove in three runs and Clarke and Conger each also had two hits as the Oilers worked three El Toro pitchers.

A 10-hit attack was a far cry from Wednesday’s performance when the Oilers mustered just four hits off Chargers’ ace Chad Thompson.

“We have a big week coming up,” Medure said. “We can tie for third-place if we win out.”

When Huntington hosts Woodbridge Wednesday, senior Devin Huskins will get his first start of the season.

Huskins had arm problems earlier in the year, Medure said., which denied the Oilers their No. 2 pitcher on the roster.

Game time Wednesday is 3:15 p.m.

In other prep baseball Friday:

Golden West League

Ocean View 4, Westminster 1

Sophomore Aaron Delgado’s two-out triple with bases loaded in the fourth inning highlighted a four-run inning for host Ocean View which swept the three-game league season series with Westminster.

Westminster led 1-0 through three innings but mustered just four hits off senior right-hander Sean Burleson who went the distance to earn his sixth win i(6-3) of the season.

Up Next

Tuesday, May 6

(all games 3:15 p.m.)

Golden West League

Ocean View at Orange

Sea View League

Woodbridge at Huntington

Sunset League

Edison at Fountain Valley

Marina at Newport Harbor