Huntington Beach Claims Nail-Biting Victory Against Los Alamitos
In a gripping Sunset League baseball clash, Huntington Beach emerged victorious over Los Alamitos with a score of 3-2, thanks to Ethan Porter’s remarkable walk-off home run on the very first pitch of the bottom of the eighth inning.
As the sun broke through after an earlier cloudy spell, the atmosphere at Huntington Beach was electric, perfectly mirroring their strong season record of 16 wins against just 2 losses, making them 8-0 in league play. However, the game was anything but straightforward.
The Turning Point
Los Alamitos created an early advantage with a 2-0 lead entering the sixth inning, propelled by stellar performances from their left-handed pitcher Tristan Dalzell. Huntington Beach began to turn the tide when Porter hit an RBI double following a walk, narrowing the gap. The game’s momentum shifted further when Jared Grindlinger leveled the score at 2-2 with a sharp line drive that struck the thigh of relief pitcher Logan Anderson.
Defensive Highlights
A pivotal moment in the game occurred in the third inning, where strong defensive plays were key to keeping Huntington Beach in contention. While Los Alamitos rallied with an RBI double from Devin Porch and a single from Tyler Smith, a spectacular running catch by Matt Haidl snuffed out further damage, completing a double play that ended the inning.
“He’s made those catches all year,” coach Benji Medure commented on Haidl’s defensive prowess. “He’s tremendous defensively.”
Reflecting on his catch, Haidl noted, “The ball kind of floated. I had to lay out. I’ve always played outfield my whole life. It’s second nature.”
Game Summary
With Huntington Beach’s victory, they continued their strong streak in the league. Other notable games included:
- Newport Harbor: 1, Fountain Valley: 0 – Gavin Guy pitched a notable shutout.
- Corona del Mar: 5, Marina: 4 – Will Chiechi’s clutch RBI double secured the win in the 11th inning.
- Corona: 10, Corona Santiago: 1 – Billy Carlson shone with a home run and four RBIs.
- Norco: 19, King: 4 – Ryan Farias led with four hits.
- Arcadia: 5, Burbank: 0 – Gus Cooper only allowed one hit while striking out nine in his performance.
- St. John Bosco: 4, Servite: 1 – The Braves secured their top position in the Trinity League with a two-hitter.
- Orange Lutheran: 3, Santa Margarita: 0 – Colt Peterson recorded a two-hit shutout.
- JSerra: 6, Mater Dei: 0 – Max Reimers struck out seven in six innings while Jordan Marian contributed three hits.
Softball Summary
In softball action, Orange Lutheran dominated, winning 7-0 against Mater Dei. Kai Minor made significant contributions with two hits and three RBIs, while Rylee Silva struck out seven in a complete-game effort.