Chatsworth Sweeps to Colonial Classic Title, 5-2

They came, they saw the sights, they conquered.

The Chatsworth High Chancellors capped a week filled with sunshine, sightseeing and solid baseball Saturday with a 5-2 victory over Kaiser of Hawaii to win the championship of the Colonial Baseball Classic at Colonial High.

Chatsworth (11-1) recorded four consecutive wins over teams from three states, including two from Florida.

In the championship game, right-hander Shawn Bowen threw a five-hitter to record his second win of the tournament. The Chancellors’ defense, which committed only five errors in four games, snuffed three consecutive Kaiser rallies with inning-ending double plays to complement a seven-hit attack.

For the Chancellors, who piled atop Bowen after he struck out Sy Farinas to end the game with runners at first and third, the victory was as sweet as Florida orange juice.

“This was the best vacation I’ve ever spent,” said third baseman Joel Wolfe, who was 2 for 4 with a run scored. “Florida, playing baseball, doing all the things we wanted to do. . . .”

“It was a blast all the way through,” shortstop David Waco said.

Chatsworth, which became the second Southern California team in three years to win the 16-team tournament, placed outfielder Rex McMackin, who was 6 for 11 with 2 home runs and 5 runs batted in, and pitcher Derek Wallace on the all-tournament team.

Wallace, who recorded a win and two saves, was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

Said Coach Bob Lofrano: “If it wasn’t for Derek, we wouldn’t have played today.”

Wallace, who pitched out of seventh-inning jams against Winter Park, Fla., and Saugus, may have led the Chancellors to the title game, but Bowen took over from there, and his off-speed deliveries left the Cougars swinging for Oahu.

Bowen (3-0), who had a no-hitter going until John Stuart hit a solo home run in the fifth inning, finished with seven strikeouts and three walks.

“I loosened up a lot during the game,” Bowen said. “But the three double plays helped a lot, too.”

Chatsworth took a 1-0 lead in the second when Art Lowe doubled and later scored on a wild pitch. Waco delivered a single to score Wolfe in the third inning and McMackin drove in Waco with a double off the wall in right-center to give the Chancellors a 3-0 lead.

Chatsworth added two runs in the sixth when Lowe scored on another wild pitch and Ty Powell grounded out to score pinch-runner Kevin Chong.

“They’re definitely the toughest team out here,” said Kaiser’s Stuart, who grew up in Chatsworth. “They deserve it.”

Kaiser threatened with an unearned run in the seventh and Stuart and Derek Mizuno followed with singles to place runners at the corners. But Farinas was caught looking at a game-ending Bowen fastball.

“We had four guys who threw super every time out,” said Lofrano, who added that he would like to return next year for the tournament.

“It would be pretty hard not to,” he said. “We’d have to defend our title.”