American Legion : Welch’s Tour de Force Propels Woodland Hills

It is a friendly competition, to be sure, but when Bryce Welch hit two home runs for Woodland Hills (West) in a 14-4, District 20 victory over Mission Hills at El Camino Real High, you can bet Del Marine gave his bat an extra squeeze or two when it was his turn to take cuts.

Welch, who was 3 for 4 and drove in four runs, surpassed Marine in the battle for the team lead in runs batted in. Marine entered the game with 36 but failed to drive home a run. Welch, who has a district-high 10 home runs, now has 39 RBIs.

“It’s been going on for three weeks or so,” West Coach Gary Gibson said. “One takes the lead and then the other passes him. It’s getting pretty interesting. Everybody was on Del today because he didn’t drive anyone in.”

The competition has been healthy for West (21-3), which won for the 18th time in 19 games and has clinched a playoff position and the Western Division title.

Others are following Welch and Marine’s lead. Dan McAdoo was 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs and 2 doubles, Carl McFadden was 2 for 4 with two RBIs, Mike Teich was 3 for 4 and pitcher Lance Gibson was 1 for 3 with two RBIs.

Sepulveda 11, San Fernando 6--Tim Costic was 3 for 5 with an RBI and Adam Clark tripled home two runs to key a five-run rally in the third inning for Sepulveda (14-10), which kept its hopes alive for a wild-card berth in the game at San Fernando.

Joe Cascione was 2 for 5 with two RBIs, Roland De La Maza was 2 for 4 with two RBIs and Joe Chaparro was 2 for 4 with one RBI for Sepulveda.

Right-hander Mike Rohrbough (2-2) went six innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits.

Reseda 5, Burbank 3--At Birmingham High, Reseda extended its winning streak as right-hander Steve Brody (6-0) struck out seven and walked one for his fifth complete game.

Reseda (17-8) clinched a playoff berth, winning its 10th in a row and 14th in 16 games. Reseda, behind Woodland Hills (West) and Chatsworth in the Western Division, will receive one of two wild-card berths for next week’s district playoffs.

North Hollywood 5, Granada Hills 3--Duane Braxton hit a two-run home run with one out in the top of the eighth to lift North Hollywood at Granada Hills High.

Granada Hills catcher Mitch Cizek hit a solo home run with two out in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

Studio City 4, Encino-Crespi 0--Studio City pitcher Nino Romo threw a complete-game six-hitter, dropping Encino-Crespi a half-game behind Burbank and Van Nuys-Notre Dame in the Eastern Division standings.

Chad Nichols (2-5) allowed nine hits and took the loss for Encino-Crespi (15-9), which has two games remaining.