Garcia spins one-hitter to end Ocean View’s season

Ocean View High has a reputation for strong support of its athletics programs.

Tuesday seemed to offer a perfect situation for the Seahawks and their fans, with the baseball and softball teams opening the CIF Southern Section playoffs side-by-side.

Members of the Ocean View girls’ basketball and boys’ cross-country teams showed up in support of the softball program.

Unfortunately for the Seahawks, the loudest sound emanating from the softball diamond would be that of the contact made by the Oxnard Pacifica bats.

Yes, Ocean View did go gently into that good night.

Dezire Garcia threw a one-hitter for the visiting Tritons, as the Seahawks were shut out, 3-0, in a CIF-SS Division 4 wildcard game at Ocean View High.

The senior lost the no-hitter with six outs to go. Asked if she was chasing the feat, Garcia said she could not afford to.

“I try not to think during the game because it tends to mess with your head,” she said. “You start to think about things besides what you’re doing. I just try to keep my mind clear.”

Once the ball was in play, it was evident that Garcia was a heady player. She started a 1-6-3 double play to end the third.

In the sixth, she threw out a pinch runner trying to advance to third on a comebacker to the pitching circle.

Junior designated player Sage Royston broke up the no-hit bid with a double to lead off the sixth.

“When we were in the dugout, I was talking to my coach, and she was like, ‘If Sage gets a hit,’” Royston recalled. “I was like, ‘No, Liberty [McCollum]. When I get a hit.’”

“I think that really shone through.”

Second base was the farthest that the Seahawks (9-11) reached in Tuesday’s game.

The Tritons (12-10) had far more success at the plate. Even their outs were loud, something that Pacifica coach Richard Arias was able to point to as a sign that his team was coming close to playing a complete game.

Arias said that his team is battle-tested against the likes of Pacific View League champion Rio Mesa (25-2-1), which entered the playoffs as the No. 3 team in Division 2.

That experience should be valuable to the Tritons, as they now match up with Buena (22-0-1), the top team in Division 4.

“It’s competitive, but you still have to perform,” Arias said. “Today was pretty close to putting together a perfect game. We didn’t make any errors.”

“It was just outstanding that we caught the ball and played pretty good defense. It’s something to build on.”

Pacifica took the lead with two runs in the third. A run-scoring double by Raylissa Garcia scored the first run. A sacrifice-fly by Amber Bolo brought her in for the second.

In the fourth, Destiny Arias-Murillo hit a solo home run down the left-field line to cap the scoring.

Third baseman Caitlyn Sideris made four put-outs. The junior found out why the position is called “the hot corner,” as she was fortunate to step on the bag for a fielder’s choice following a pair of hard-hit ground balls that she blocked with her body.

“No kidding,” Sideris said of her position’s nickname. “Especially when you’re up for bunt coverage, and you don’t know whether to expect a bunt or not.”

“I do everything that I can to keep them in front. I probably have a pretty big bruise on my thigh, but it’s worth it.”

For what it’s worth, Ocean View walked off against Bellflower in the baseball game, 4-3. Miguel Abascal had the game-winning hit after the Seahawks rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie it in the sixth.

CIF-SS Division 4 Playoffs

Wild-card Round

Pacifica 3, Ocean View 0

SCORE BY INNINGS
Pacifica 002 100 0 – 3 9 0

OV 000 000 0 – 0 1 0

D. Garcia and Partido; Page and Russ. WP – D. Garcia. LP – Page. 2B – R. Garcia (OP); Royston (OV). HR – Arias-Murillo (OP).

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