Conejo Valley Rallies to Beat Santa Monica : American Legion: Brian Sturges scores the tying run and knocks in the game-winner in a 10-inning playoff victory.

Craig Sturges took the day off from work to watch a baseball game Thursday, but for the first five innings he probably wished he had gone to the office.

That’s because his Conejo Valley American Legion team entered the sixth inning trailing Santa Monica by four runs in a first-round game of the 6th Area playoffs at UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium.

But Conejo Valley, the District 16 runner-up, rallied for two runs in the eighth and one in the ninth and then scored the game-winner in the 10th to post a 9-8 victory. Conejo Valley will play Culver City today at 12:30 p.m.

With one out in the 10th and the score tied, 8-8, Brett Herman singled to left field and moved to third when Brent Christenson grounded into a fielder’s choice.

Brian Sturges followed with a single to drive in Herman.

Santa Monica, the District 24 runner-up, tried to launch a rally in the bottom of the inning. Justyn Wilson led off with a single and after the next batter hit into a force, Ramon Armendariz reached on an error. But Conejo Valley reliever Brian Corey (2-0) got the next two batters to fly out.

With their team trailing, 7-3, after five innings, Conejo Valley batters worked Santa Monica starter Richard Armendariz for two singles and a walk, scoring two runs in the inning, to pull to within 7-5.

Santa Monica (14-8) stretched its margin to 8-5 in the bottom of the sixth, but Corey, who came on in place of starter Mike Lee in the inning, allowed just one hit in the last four innings.

Adam West, who had only one hit in his previous three at-bats Thursday, trimmed the margin to a run with a two-run home run over the right-field fence in the eighth.

“Adam West brought the team back,” Craig Sturges said. “You look for a spark, an edge. That was quite a shot.”

Conejo Valley (23-9) finally pulled even in the ninth. Billy Hall’s fly ball scored Sturges, who had singled and moved to third on Chris Grodell’s base hit.

“We came out wanting to execute, do a little hit and run,” Santa Monica Coach Pete McKellar said. “But they did the same thing.”

Corey’s effort was surprising in that he has pitched just 10 innings this summer and did not throw at all this spring as a Thousand Oaks High junior.

“He’s had to prove to me that he can throw strikes,” Sturges said. “I want to make him a college shortstop but he wants to be a college pitcher.”

The teams combined for 31 hits, including 25 singles. Santa Monica’s Brett Schafer had three doubles in five at-bats and knocked in three runs.