Westlake Player’s 4 Home Runs Tie Southern Section Record

Mike Lieberthal of Westlake High tied a Southern Section record by hitting four home runs in a 15-5 victory over Simi Valley in Marmonte League game at Westlake on Wednesday.

Lieberthal’s school-record 10 RBIs matched the third highest output in the Southern Section. He is also the third Southern Section player to hit four home runs in a game but the second to do it this season. The other is Troy Dunlap of Culver City.

In the first inning, Lieberthal put Kenny Hood’s fastball over the left-field fence, more than 330 feet way, for a three-run home run that gave Westlake (13-0, 6-0 in league play) a 3-1 lead. Hood (4-1), a senior left-hander who went into the game with a 1.55 earned-run average, threw just four pitches and failed to retire a batter.

In the second, Lieberthal hit a solo shot. Then, he singled in the fourth inning before hitting a grand slam in the fifth. He finished with a two-run home run in the sixth inning.

“The ball looked like a melon,” said Lieberthal, who raised his batting average to .556. “I wanted to hit it even if it was out of the strike zone.”