Baseball: Cody Buckel throws no-hitter for Royal

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Pepperdine-bound Cody Buckel of Simi Valley Royal came close to throwing a perfect game Wednesday against Westlake Village Westlake. He had to settle for a no-hitter in the Highlanders’ 6-0 victory.

Buckel struck out 10 and walked one. Westlake had only one baserunner, on a walk to Ryan Kort with two outs in the sixth inning on a 3-and-2 count.

Royal is 9-0 overall and 3-0 in the Marmonte League. Simi Valley (5-4, 1-2) defeated Calabasas, 5-0, in another Marmonte League game. Levi Shordon threw the shutout, striking out six and walking one.

Jeff Yamaguchi allowed five hits, striking out five and walking one to help No. 1-ranked Lakewood (11-0, 1-0) knock off Long Beach Millikan, 3-0, in its Moore League opener.

Millikan’s Josh Frye, last season’s Moore League player of the year, was the tough-luck loser. He allowed only five hits. Lakewood turned four double plays in support of Yamaguchi (3-0).

In the Sunset League, Henry Owens (4-0) struck out 11 as Huntington Beach Edison defeated Marina, 5-1.

Woodland Hills El Camino Real (3-5) defeated Granada Hills Kennedy, 12-3. Mitch Bluman struck out eight and allowed three hits. Kyle Keppel had three hits. Reseda Cleveland (4-5) defeated Narbonne, 8-6, in nine innings. Junior Felix had three hits. The Cavaliers rallied from a 5-0 deficit.

Sun Valley Poly defeated Verdugo Hills, 3-2, in an East Valley League game. John Espinoza had the game-winning RBI.

Saugus (6-3, 1-1) hit four home runs in a 6-5 Foothill League victory over Newhall Hart. Scott Lombardi hit two home runs for the Centurions. Patrick Valaika had three RBIs for Hart. Valencia West Ranch (6-1, 2-0) defeated Canyon Country Canyon, 13-0. Allen Sarkissian struck out five in four innings. Nico Rusconi had four hits and Sarkissian had three hits.

-- Eric Sondheimer