Opening Day Ends In Confusion With Tie
Even though the Oilers took a 7-5 lead in the 9th, darkness falls and the discretion of the umpires side with a deadlock 5-5 final score
The Huntington Beach Oilers (0-0-1) complete their first game of the 2026 regular season under unusual circumstances, tying the Loyola Cubs (0-0-1) 5-5 after eight plus innings, Wednesday afternoon from Loyola High School in Los Angeles, CA. This is the first tie for the Oilers since May 4, 2011 when they forced a 12-12 draw against Marina in Sunset league play.
After falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, the Oilers chipped away at the deficit with help from the bat of catcher Jaxon Greer who not only drove in the first two runs of the season (Sac Fly in 2nd and RBI Single in 4th), but also recorded the first Oilers hit of 2026 with the aforementioned RBI Single to left field, scoring Owen Bone.
Following the first inning, the Huntington Beach pitching combination of Jared Grindlinger, Mason Tapia and Dane Cunningham silenced the Cubs with six consecutive scoreless frames and a combined total of five strikeouts. The senior right-hander in Tapia cruised out of the bullpen with a final line of three-plus innings, zero earned runs, three strikeouts and two spectacular defensive plays. The first, recovering an attempted bunt and turning a 1-3 putout, followed by a squeeze bunt fielder's choice at home, accentuated with a glove flip.
The Oilers would take the lead for the first time in the top of the eighth on a two-run double to center field by Tanner Brown, scoring Sol Moriyama and Bone. However, the Cubs bounced right back with a pair of runs the next half inning on back-to-back singles.
Through grit, adversity and tenacity, the Oilers barraged Cubs reliever Luke Connon in the 9th as the first five batters would reach base with Grindlinger (RBI Single) and Moriyama (RBI Infield Single) delivering game defining insurance runs. Unfortunately, even though the Oilers completed the frame with three base runners being tagged out trying to advance home, the umpires called the game (after the outs were recorded) due to lack of lighting at 5:44 PM, essentially erasing the inning and reverting back to the previous score of 5-5.
In an unprecedented turn of events, today's tie will make the Oilers have to wait a tad bit longer to celebrate their first win of the season. The offense did prove patient at the plate throughout the duration of the contest, walking 12 times and having a runner get into scoring position in seven of the nine innings played.
Oilers Scoring Plays:
Top 2: Jaxon Greer Sac-Fly, Owen Bone Scores (3-1 LC)
Top 4: Jaxon Greer Singles to LF, Owen Bone Scores (3-2 LC)
Top 5: Owen Bone Sac-Fly, Jared Grindlinger Scores (3-3 TIE)
Top 8: Tanner Brown Doubles to CF, Sol Moriyama & Owen Bone Scores (5-3 HB)
*Top 9: Jared Grindlinger Singles to CF, Jason Dunham Scores (6-5 HB)
*Top 9: Sol Moriyama Infield Single, Ely Mason Scores (7-5 HB)
Stars of the Game:
Sol Moriyama: 2-4, RBI, R
Jaxon Greer: 1-1, 2 RBI
Tanner Brown: 2-RBI Double
Mason Tapia: 3+ IP, 0 ER, 3 K
The Oilers will now get set to return home to HBHS Stadium on Friday, February 20 as they host the Servite Friars at 2:30 PM. You'll be able to listen to all the action on hbhsathletics.mixlr.com with the "Voice of the Oilers" Dominick Lorenz, beginning with the pregame show at 2:15 PM, followed by first pitch at 2:30 PM.
LISTEN TO HUNTINGTON BEACH VS. LOYOLA CUBS HIGHLIGHTS HERE (CLICK IMAGE BELOW):
