Canoga Park Stands Its Ground in 9-5 Win

Before Wednesday’s first-round City Section 4-A Division playoff game between Granada Hills and Canoga Park, both coaches feared the worst from the field at Lanark Park, one that threatens any game with chaos. It has an all-dirt infield, no mound and pedestrian traffic in the outfield.

But Canoga Park, the defending City champion, rendered those fears groundless with a 9-5 victory that would have stood up at any ballpark.

If anything, the field cost the Hunters and Mike Roberts, who ripped a Jeff Adams fastball more than 400 feet to left field, a shot that would have been a home run at Granada Hills, or any high school or any major league park for that matter. Instead, Roberts settled for a two-run triple that boosted Canoga Park’s lead to 7-3 in the fifth inning.

“That’s the farthest I’ve ever hit a ball,” said Roberts, who went 2 for 3 and drove in four runs. “It makes you sorry there are no fences here.”

Granada Hills, which failed in its attempt to win City titles in football and baseball in the same school year, regretted squandered scoring opportunities against Hunter starter Mike Kerber (4-3), who had a rare poor outing but still managed to get the win. The Highlanders (15-5) stranded four runners in the first two innings while scoring just one run.

“In the first four innings we could have scored a ton of runs,” Granada Hills Coach Darryl Stroh said. “We popped up twice with runners on second and third, then had the bases loaded with no outs and one in, and only scored one more.”

Canoga Park (12-7) sent 10 batters to the plate in the fifth, scoring five runs on four hits, two walks and a hit batter. Juan Soriano hit a two-run single to left, and Roberts followed with his triple.

Granada Hills still found reason to fault the field.

“All the bad hops here seemed to go against us,” Granada Hills shortstop Charlie Fowlks said. “I wish we could have played at our place.”

In the quarterfinals Friday, Canoga Park plays at Kennedy, a 19-1 winner Wednesday over North Hollywood.