Baseball: El Camino Real prepares for memorable 2016 season

The final summer baseball game of 2015 on Monday night might have been a preview of what’s possible in 2016 for El Camino Real. Can the Conquistadores really be better than the team that won the City Section Division I championship last May? The answer is yes.

Even though All-City players Eric Yang and Dylan Hirsch were missing because of a club tournament, El Camino Real won the VIBL championship game with a 7-5 win over Hart. ECR, which goes by Woodland Hills West in the summer, banged out 12 hits up and down the lineup.

Seven starters return from the City title team, and ECR has plenty of pitching depth, too. Jose Campos struck out nine in four innings. All-City left-hander Jeremy Polon came on in the fifth after Hart had cut its deficit to 7-5 and threw 2 1/3 shutout innings of relief for the save.

As far as hitters, few are better than James Terrazas, who had a two-run double and a line-drive single. Jake Selco had an RBI single and two RBIs. Daniel Moreno went three for three. Dane Reed, a junior shortstop who’s made lots of improvement in the summer, had two hits. Matt Cassin, a transfer from Crespi, added two hits.

El Camino Real Coach Josh Lienhard went on vacation and missed the game. It’s going to be hard to find a weakness for next season.

ECR is loaded with top players, including All-City catcher Yang, All-City right fielder Hirsch and returning pitchers Polon, Jordan Berg and Terrazas, a left-hander who has thrown terrific games this summer. The fielding has been solid and the hitting consistent.

ECR is expected to play in the Boras Classic next spring while testing itself against top Southern Section teams. ECR will be the clear City title favorite, but teams such as Chatsworth aren’t quite ready to hand over the City title without a fight.

Beating the Conquistadores, however, will be a challenge.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer