HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Basketball Standout McRae Nets Baseball Victory for Cleveland

Bobby McRae, an All-City Section forward for the Cleveland High basketball team, didn’t wait long to show his mettle as a baseball pitcher.

In his first start since joining the team 10 days ago, McRae hurled a two-hitter with six strikeouts Thursday as Cleveland defeated Chatsworth, 5-1, in a Northwest Valley Conference game at Cleveland.

McRae, a right-hander, struck out six and walked seven while holding Chatsworth (8-2, 3-2 in league play) scoreless until the fourth inning. By that time, Cleveland (2-3) led, 3-0.

The Cavaliers scored three times in the first inning on a two-run single by Dave Cipolla and a run-scoring groundout by senior Pat Bryant. Bryant was one for two with a run batted in and a stolen base.

Senior left-hander Danny Rodriguez (3-1) was charged with the loss.

In other games:

San Fernando 14, Canoga Park 4--Despite working without a mound at Lanark Park, sophomore Rick Savala pitched 4 1/3 innings of two-hit relief in a Northwest Valley Conference game to earn his first victory.

Richard Sanchez (three hits, two RBIs, four runs), John Najar (four RBIs, two runs), Jess Ceniceros (three runs batted in) and Roy Aguilera (two hits, two runs) paced the offensive onslaught for the Tigers (7-1-1, 4-1), who used 19 players.

Leo Roldan hit a solo home run for Canoga Park (0-6, 0-5).

Kennedy 8, Taft 6--Kennedy’s Garret Anderson slapped a two-run home run and a single that scored another two runs in a Northwest Valley Conference game at Taft.

Lazaro Campos belted two doubles and teammate Ben Guzman added two hits for Kennedy (9-1, 5-0). John Erganian and Mike Krasner had two hits each and Benji Belfield homered for Taft (4-6, 1-4).

L.A. Baptist 10, Bell-Jeff 6--The Knights scored six runs in the seventh to snap a 4-4 deadlock and steal a nonleague game at Bell-Jeff.

Dan Shackelford banged out a triple and a home run in four plate appearances and knocked in four runs to lead L. A. Baptist (1-3). Darrell Smedley pitched six complete innings, scattering four hits and walking two.

Montclair Prep 10, St. Genevieve 3--Montclair Prep jumped to a 5-1 lead after four innings and sealed the result with a five-run fifth in a nonleague game at St. Genevieve.

Keyaan Cook rapped the only extra-base hit of the game, a two-run double, in the fifth, and Kevin Grant earned the victory on the mound.

St. Genevieve sophomore Fidel Jocobo, pitching his first varsity game, took the loss.

SOFTBALL

El Camino Real 17, Cleveland 0--Jenny Fleming was four for five with a first-inning grand slam and seven RBIs as the host Conquistadores rolled to a Northwest Valley Conference win.

El Camino Real (10-2, 2-0) collected 20 hits. Catcher Carrie Ruelbach was three for three, including two doubles. Alisha Knopf was two for four and Cathy Balint was two for three.

Senior Chrissy Peck (10-1) struck out six while recording her fourth one-hitter and sixth shutout. Peck also was four for five with two RBIs.

Kennedy 12, Canoga Park 6--Despite nearly matching the Golden Cougars’ 12 hits, host Canoga Park (11 hits) committed six errors and fell behind by eight runs early in a Northwest Valley Conference game.

Simi Valley 1, Thousand Oaks 0--Visiting Simi Valley won a Marmonte League pitchers’ duel when freshman Kris Lufkin scored Kathy Beasley with an infield single in the top of the seventh inning.

Simi Valley’s Michele Castonguay (5-0) struck out six and allowed only three hits in a complete game.

Newbury Park 2, Royal 0--Lea Lopez (5-2) pitched a three-hitter and struck out 10 to pace Newbury Park in a Marmonte League game at Royal.

Agoura 12, St. Bonaventure 2--Melissa Thatcher (5-1), a junior right-hander, struck out six and held St. Bonaventure to three hits while helping her cause with two hits in a nonleague game at Agoura. Thatcher also scored three runs.

Chatworth 6, San Fernando 1--Laura Roopenian scattered six hits and struck out six, and Maggie Sherman hit a grand slam to lift the host Chancellors (6-1) in a Northwest Valley Conference game.

Birmingham 12, North Hollywood 6--Right fielder Mary Marjan had three hits, including a triple, and three RBIs to pace the Braves, who scored 10 runs in the first three innings in a Valley Pac-8 Conference game at Birmingham.

Reseda 6, Grant 0--Sophomore Michelle Brewer threw the first no-hitter of her high school career and struck out five in a Valley Pac-8 Conference game at Reseda.

Brewer also had an RBI triple, and Nichole Ford drove in all the runs Reseda (3-3, 1-1) needed with a two-run single in the second inning.

Sylmar 5, Poly 0--Sylmar starter Ruby Gonzalez (4-1) didn’t allow a runner for 4 1/3 innings and finished with 10 strikeouts and no walks in a complete-game win over Poly in a Valley-Pac 8 Conference game. Eilene Contreraz was two for three with two RBIs and a double for Sylmar (9-1, 2-0).