Chiaramonte in Control as Westlake Wins

Westlake High pitcher John Chiaramonte likes to throw a knuckleball and with a little help from an ocean breeze, it can be a seemingly unhittable pitch.

On Friday, the wind was blowing in Westlake’s favor. Chiaramonte threw a three-hitter and the Warriors beat Santa Monica, 5-2, in the first round of the Southern Section 4-A playoffs at Santa Monica.

“I just need a good cross-breeze to make my knuckleball really move,” Chiaramonte said. “There was a good wind blowing out there from right to left and I felt confident throwing my knuckleball.”

Chiaramonte (7-2) gave up only two unearned runs in the sixth inning. He struck out seven and walked two. The junior right-hander broke the single-season school record with his seventh win and tied the school record with his 17th appearance.

Westlake (14-10-1), which is making its first playoff appearance in the school’s nine-year history, advances to the second round against Servite, which beat Notre Dame on Friday, 1-0. Santa Monica, which lost to a Marmonte League team in the playoffs for the second consecutive year, finished the season at 20-6.

With the victory, Westlake also gained a measure of revenge. The Warriors lost to Santa Monica in the Southern Section 4-A basketball championship game at the Sports Arena.

Leading 2-0, Westlake scored three more times in the fifth. Catcher Jim Henderson, who had three hits, singled over third to drive in a run. With two outs, Santa Monica third baseman Tim McCaffrey dropped Greg Struhl’s popup to allow another run to score.

Losing pitcher David Masi (8-2) walked John Rowedder to load the bases and then walked John Stephens to force in another run.