It was a day to remember for Huntington Beach head baseball coach Benji Medure

Huntington Beach coach Benjamin Medure (second row third from left with one of his children) celebrated his 300th career victory Saturday. (Photo courtesy Huntington Beach Athletics)

Huntington Beach’s baseball coach Benjamin Medure celebrated his 300th career victory Saturday and shared the moment with players, coaches and family members.

To see the slide show, please click on the first photo

“No one talks about the 230 losses,” Medure joked Wednesday after the Oilers 12-1 victory over Riverside Poly. (Please click here to see photos and a story from that game).

“It was special,” said Medure, who has been coaching at Huntington Beach for 19 years. “My kids and my wife were here and my high school coach was here. I didn’t tell anybody until the end. I told our kids and I told our players. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it but I did want my players to know. They won the game, I’ve just been coaching,. I wanted them to know how special it was to be my team to get me 300.

“It was very special and it makes me think of my high school coach because I was playing for my high school coach when he got number 300.”

Huntington Beach, like it has for most seasons that Medure has been around, is again considered one of the elite teams in Southern California. The Oilers are ranked second in the county by the Orange County Register and the latest CIF Division 1 poll, were ranked sixth.

“The only time the rankings matter is at the end of the season,” Medure said. “I just want to see a number one by our name at the end of the season. That’s just someone else’s opinion and it’s humbling and awesome that people think we’re that good, but it’s not going to help us win a baseball game. That’s what really matters. These guys are pretty mature and they handle it pretty well.”

Huntington Beach has won the last two Sunset League titles and four of the last five. Medure expects another battle this year.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “There are only nine league games and every one in league is tough. But that’s always the goal. If you win the Sunset League, you’re obviously having a great year because the Sunset League is always tough.”

Huntington Beach has plenty of talent on this year’s team, including seven players who have made Division 1 commitments.

They include Josh Hahn and Jake Vogel (UCLA), Brett Barrera (Stanford), Cole Minato (Gonzaga), Jag Burden (Cal), Shane Stafford (San Diego State) and Eddie Pelc (University of San Diego).

Huntington Beach plays its game in a remodeled on-campus ball park, which has regular stadium seating and the look of a minor league park. The facility was drastically upgraded in 2016.

“This is an upgrade for sure,” Medure said. “It’s a beautiful place to play and sometimes I got to pinch myself to realize this is where I get to work every single day and come through those gates. We’re very fortunate where we live and the supporters of the program to help build this. We’re still adding to it. We’re going to add a new batting cage and a new clubhouse (this summer).”

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com