West Strikes Down Union City, 12-3

His Woodland Hills West teammates often call him “Lightning.” With a name--and a right arm--like that of pitcher-outfielder Sean Boldt, it seems a natural tag.

But it appears that there’s more to this moniker than meets the ear.

“They call him ‘Lightning,’ because you don’t know where he’s gonna strike,” West Coach Don Hornback said. “You’ve probably noticed that when he’s in the game, things seem to happen around him. Or to him.”

On Sunday, Boldt’s arm and bat both provided some thunder. Boldt blasted a two-run homer and threw a complete-game, eight-hitter as West routed Union City, 12-3, in a second-round game of the American Legion state tournament at Cleve Borman Field.

West (33-6), which has won 27 of its past 28 games and improved to 2-0 in the double-elimination tournament, will face Stockton at noon today. Stockton, also unbeaten in the tournament, defeated Fairfield, 12-6, Sunday. West can clinch a berth in the regional playoffs with a victory over Stockton. If West loses, it would play a second game at 3 p.m. today against either Escondido or Fairfield.

The hyperactive Boldt (9-1), who will be a senior at El Camino Real High in the fall, threw 110 pitches, struck out six and walked two. He allowed two hits in an inning only twice.

“Sean is without question the most competitive player on the team,” Hornback said.

“You can’t begin to harness that energy.”

With West leading, 2-0, in the top of the fourth, Boldt slammed his fourth homer of the season over the fence in left field for a 4-0 lead.

“I felt really good today,” Boldt said. “The heat made it real easy to stay loose; my arm felt really good.”

Boldt limited Union City (40-7) to four hits through six innings. Meanwhile, his teammates continued their torrid hitting.

Gregg Sheren hit his third home run of the season in the second, a solo shot that gave West a 1-0 lead.

Greg Lederman, starting in right field with Boldt on the mound, gave West a 2-0 lead with a run-scoring single in the third after Union City elected to walk Bobby Kim with an open base.

Lederman, who had two hits and drove in three runs, said that the way West is hitting, it doesn’t make sense to pitch around anybody.

“No way,” Lederman said. “We’ve all been hitting the ball real well.”

Boldt’s homer in the fourth helped chase Union City left-hander Scott Delbridge (6-2).

Paul Geller had three hits to pace West’s 15-hit assault and Jeff Marks scored four runs. Every starter had at least one hit and five had two or more.