American Legion Baseball Playoffs : Shapiro Lifts Woodland Hills East

Richie Shapiro hit a key three-run double in the ninth inning and pitched four innings of relief to lead Woodland Hills East to a 12-7 victory over Sun Valley in a second-round District 20 playoff game Thursday at Pierce College.

Shapiro’s double was part of a five-run rally that enabled Woodland Hills to extend its lead to 12-6. Shapiro, who had relieved Chris Brown to begin the sixth, held Sun Valley to two runs.

Woodland Hills trailed, 6-5, in the seventh inning before Allan Puana hit a two-run double to give his team the lead.

Jamie Ziecheck had three hits for Woodland Hills East and Puana, Rich Cosentino, Glen Nahmias and Brett Reisner each had two hits.

Ed Chavez had two doubles for Sun Valley.

In other District 20 playoff games:

Panorama City 5, Newhall-Saugus 4 (suspended)--Panorama City rallied for two runs in the top of the seventh but darkness at Birmingham High forced the game to be suspended after eight innings. The game will be resumed today at Birmingham at 10 a.m.

Both teams loaded the bases in the eighth inning but failed to score.

In the top of the inning, Panorama City failed to score when Joe Cascione grounded into an inning-ending force play.

In the bottom half, Panorama City’s Joe Chaparro relieved starter Sean Henson with two out and the bases loaded and retired Matt Tull on a pop fly to end the inning.

With Panorama City trailing, 4-3, in the seventh, Shane Wight belted a solo home run and and Herman Merchan delivered a two-out single to score Cascione with the go-ahead run.

The winner of the game will play Woodland Hills West at 4 p.m. today at Birmingham.