Kerber’s Comeback Brings Immediate Returns, 4-1

After a 2 1/2-month bout with tendinitis in his right elbow, Canoga Park High pitcher Mike Kerber made his league pitching debut Thursday and gave his teammates a shot in the arm with an overpowering performance.

Kerber threw a three-hitter, struck out nine, and retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced as Canoga Park beat El Camino Real, 4-1, in a West Valley League game at Lanark Park.

The complete game by Kerber (1-0) came after his initial start April 14 in the Thousand Oaks tournament in which he struck out six in three scoreless innings against Dos Pueblos.

“I’m very happy with the performance,” Kerber said. “I felt a lot stronger today. I figured I could go four or five innings, but I was surprised how strong I felt out there.”

Kerber was scheduled to throw only 75 pitches, but Canoga Park Coach Doug MacKenzie didn’t say a word when his pitcher passed that mark. Kerber threw exactly 100 pitches and his coach had no thoughts of taking him out.

“Not when he was going so good,” MacKenzie said. “Mike also had the luxury of a six-pitch and a nine-pitch inning so he could catch his breath.”

It was the eighth consecutive victory for Canoga Park (9-3, 5-3), which moved into a second-place tie with El Camino Real (6-5, 5-3). And Thursday’s game might have completed the final piece to the puzzle in Canoga Park’s bid for a City Section championship. Junior pitcher Mike Roberts returned from academic ineligibility last week and beat Reseda in the final of the Thousand Oaks tournament.

The Hunters went into this game with a .370 league batting average but with a thin pitching staff. Right-handed workhorse Adam Schulhofer (5-1) has kept Canoga Park in the race.

“It’s nice to know there’s another person out there that can throw,” Schulhofer said. “Mike is really pitching great right now.”

The return of Kerber overshadowed the effort of El Camino Real left-hander Mike Teich (3-1), who allowed no earned runs over six innings.

El Camino Real staked Teich to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Denny Vigo walked, was sacrificed to second and scored on a double by Jim Wolf.

Canoga Park took a 3-1 lead in the fourth when Aaron Marks stroked a long double to left, scoring Scott Strickland. Schulhofer singled home Marks for a two-run lead.