The Boys Are Hot; Oilers Demolish Vikings En Route To Second Sunset League Sweep

The Huntington Beach Oilers (7-2-1) put an offensive clinic on display to lock down back-to-back sweeps, defeating the Marina Vikings (3-7) 13-1, Friday afternoon from HBHS Stadium. With today's win, the Oilers extended their red hot hitting ways, totalling 47 runs and 73 hits in all six Sunset League games combined. It also extends the Oilers winning streak to a season-high six games. 

Wasting no time at all, Huntington Beach got on the ledger in the second inning as they compiled four runs on six hits. The first five batters reached base with a hit (four singles and one double), with the run producing plays being a Dane Cunningham RBI double, Eddie Lucero RBI single, Jaxon Greer RBI single and Ely Mason RBI double. The four-run frame is now the largest scoring second inning this year.   

With plenty of run support, starting pitcher Tanner Brown kept the Marina offense quiet, yielding just one earned-run in three innings, while also tallying four strikeouts. Brown, who also extended his hitting streak at the plate to four games, lowered his season ERA to 1.34 over 15.2 innings pitched.  

Oilers tacked on a solo run in the third with a second RBI double by Cunningham, scoring Sol Moriyama, who reached on a fielding error. Cunningham, the senior infielder, became the first Oilers batter this season to record two doubles in a single game. The offensive onslaught continued in the fourth as the largest overall scoring inning commenced with five runs and five hits. Sending 10 batters to the plate, Jared Grindliner kicked off the scoring with an RBI single (extending his team-best hitting streak to six games), followed by Brown, Moriyama and Lucero knocking in runs. 

Out of the bullpen, lefty Benny Breese and Grady Ream (making his season debut) tossed spotless performances with four combined innings (two each). Ream finished off the game in the seventh with a pair of strikeouts, his first as a member of the Varsity.         

By sweeping the Vikings, the Oilers continue to have sole possession of first place in the Sunset League with a mark of 6-0. Seven different batters recorded a multi-hit game, 12 contributed by getting on base and three had multi-RBI affairs. Within this six-game winning streak, the Oilers are averaging 7.83 runs/game, while pitching is allowing only 2.0 runs/game.  

Oilers Scoring Plays: 

Bot 2: Dane Cunningham Doubles to LF, Tanner Brown Scores (1-0 HB)

Bot 2: Eddie Lucero Singles to CF, Sol Moriyama Scores (2-0 HB)

Bot 2: Jaxon Greer Singles to RF, Dane Cunningham Scores (3-0 HB)

Bot 2: Ely Mason Doubles to RF, Jaxon Greer Scores (4-0 HB)

Bot 3: Dane Cunningham Doubles to CF, Sol Moriyama Scores (5-1 HB)

Bot 4: Jared Grindlinger Singles to RF, Jason Dunham Scores (6-1 HB)

Bot 4: Tanner Brown Sac-Fly, Ely Mason Scores (7-1 HB)

Bot 4: Sol Moriyama Singles to RF, Jared Grindlinger Scores (8-1 HB)

Bot 4: Eddie Lucero Doubles to LF, Sol Moriyama & Dane Cunningham Scores (10-1 HB)

Bot 5: Ely Mason Ground Out, Jason Dunham Scores (11-1 HB)

Bot 6: Gavin Pluma Ground Out, Leo Aguilar Scores (12-1 HB)

Bot 6: Jason Dunham Singles to RF, Tommy August Scores (13-1 HB)

Stars of the Game: 

Eddie Lucero: 2-3, 3 RBI

Jason Dunham: 2-4, RBI, 2 R

Ely Mason: 2-5, 2 RBI, R

Jared Grindlinger: 2-3, RBI, R

Sol Moriyama: 2-3, RBI, 3 R

Benny Breese: 2 IP, 0 ER

Grady Ream: 2 IP, 0 ER, 2 K

The Oilers will step aside from Sunset League play next week as they jump back into a non-league contest against Mira Costa on Wednesday, March 25. 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 3:00 PM, followed by first pitch at 3:15 PM (projected times).       

LISTEN TO HUNTINGTON BEACH VS. MARINA VIKINGS HIGHLIGHTS HERE (CLICK IMAGE BELOW):