Ocean View softball shuts out Northwood

HUNTINGTON BEACH — It took a few days for the Ocean View softball team to put a tough setback in the past late last week. On Thursday, the Seahawks looked like a rejuvenated team.

Ocean View started the CIF Southern Section Division 4 softball playoffs at home Thursday and owned Northview of Covina from the start. The Seahawks jumped on the Vikings early and often and rode a quick start to a 7-0 victory. The win advances the Seahawks (17-9) to a second-round game Tuesday when they will face Freeway League champion La Habra. The Highlanders crushed Woodcrest Christian, 18-0, Tuesday.

Ocean View's impressive playoff win came one week after a disappointing, 3-0 loss to Segerstrom in a game that determined the Golden West League champion. The Northview game provided the Seahawks with the start of a new season.

"The girls came out ready, which was so great to see," Ocean View Coach Mike McLaughlan said. "I was a little concerned with how the girls would respond from that disappointing loss to Segerstrom. They got over it after a couple of days and then concentrated on the playoffs. Plus, not knowing anything about [Northview], not knowing what to expect, also was a concern. The girls, though, were ready and did a great job today. Any time you have Brittany (Hitchcock) on the mound, we know we will be in any game."

Hitchcock contained Northview (17-10, Valle Vista League No. 2) throughout and finished with a three-hitter. The junior took a one-hitter into the seventh inning but the Vikings came up with two hits with two outs. That one-hitter might have stood, had there not been a miscommunication between two Seahawks on a pop up to shallow right field. Instead of a catch being made to end the game, the ball dropped safely to the turf and the Vikings had their second hit.

"I thought Brittany did a great job," McLaughlan said of his ace who took a 0.82 ERA into the game and improved to 14-5. "She had a one-hitter going, until that play in the last inning. She also did a great job at the plate. We really hit the ball well today, from top to bottom. She had a couple of hits, so did Toby [Salzman], and Erika [Jason] was on fire."

It was Jason, a junior outfielder who is Ocean View's lead-off hitter, who started the Seahawks rolling. She did it in an odd way, too.