Bees force baseball game to be suspended

You could say that the West Valley League baseball opener between Chatsworth and Lake Balboa Birmingham high schools created quite a buzz.

Literally.

The game was suspended in the top of the first inning Tuesday when bees swarmed the field and eventually locked onto a chain-link fence down the third base line at Chatsworth.

Observers found it hard to BEE-lieve.

“I’ve heard of all kinds of cancellations, but never a bee-out,” Birmingham Coach Matt Mowry said. “We saw the swarm, ‘holy cow.’ We were at the mercy of the bees.”

An umpire and a Chatsworth player who are allergic to bees were the first to scatter. Players, coaches and spectators waited nearly an hour for Los Angeles Unified School District pest control to arrive.

When no one came, the teams and umpires decided to suspend the game until Wednesday at Chatsworth, when the game will resume where it left off — with two out in the top of the first inning.

“We don’t know why they showed up or why they chose that spot,” Chatsworth Athletic Director Mike Immken said of the bees.

The swarm did take a shape, though.

Looked a little like a chest protector.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com