STATWATCH : Chatsworth Continues to Look for a Way to Beat San Fernando

Once again, Chatsworth High was unable to defeat San Fernando, losing, 9-2, and tying the Tigers, 8-8, last week.

San Fernando has not lost to the Chancellors in the teams’ past six games over four seasons.

The streak includes a victory in the City Section 4-A Division semifinals in 1988 and a two-game sweep last season when Chatsworth was nationally ranked.

“Any time you beat a team like Chatsworth, which might just be the program of the ‘80s, you have to feel pretty good about it,” San Fernando Coach Steve Marden said.

Offense: Entering the week, who had more hits than any other player in the Northwest Valley Conference? It wasn’t San Fernando’s John Najar, Kennedy’s Ben Guzman, Benji Belfield nor Brett Reisner of Taft, nor was it Chatsworth’s Mitch Root, although all have been hot.

The honor belongs to San Fernando’s Richard Sanchez, a 5-foot-5, 140-pound third baseman. But pound for pound, Sanchez pounds the ball as well as anyone. Sanchez, a senior who answers to “Shorty,” entered the week with 19 hits in 38 at-bats and 18 runs scored, also tops among conference players. It is no fluke: Sanchez batted .339 last season.

All of Jeff Gordon’s nine home runs, and 17 of Simi Valley’s 20, have been hit at the Pioneers’ cozy field, which is 295 feet down the left-field line and 350 feet to the power alleys. Teammate Kenny Hood has a 16-game hitting streak that dates to last season. He is 18 for 43 (.419) this season. . . . Royal has 47 hits in its past four games. . . . Westlake has stolen 31 bases in 32 attempts, including 22 in a row.