By overcoming a 2-0 deficit to score the final five runs of the game, Ocean View advanced to the Section 10 tournament that begins Saturday.
Ocean View will take on District 68 (Mission Viejo) in a 10 a.m. start. Seaview also is hosting the Section 10 event at LeBard Park.
“We got things out of our system after that first inning, stayed together and kept pressing until the end,” Lopez said. “We beat a very good Costa Mesa team.”
It appeared that Costa Mesa National could take control of the game early, as the league fought to win its first District 62 All-Star tournament title.
But Ocean View had other ideas and went on to capture its first district title in the division since 2000.
The Ocean View comeback began in the top of the second inning. Dylan Andersen, batting in the No. 9 slot, delivered a one-out, run-scoring single to score Brandon Williams, who started the inning with a double. Matt Mulholland, pinch running for Andrew Arledge after a walk, would later score the tying run on a wild pitch. Ocean View took the lead for good when with two out, Ben Drolet, sent a full-count pitch up the gap toward the fence in left field. The hit brought home Andersen and gave Ocean View a 3-2 lead.
From that point on, Costa Mesa National never threatened offensively. Drolet, who settled down after the first inning, contained Costa Mesa National and allowed just two hits over the final five innings. Ocean View’s defense didn’t allow a runner past second base after the first inning.
“I was confident going into the game but lost a little bit of that confidence in that first inning,” said Drolet, a hard, right-handed thrower. “After that first inning, I realized that I didn’t need to strike out everybody, just throw effectively and my defense would do the rest. They were great out there.”
