HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Chatsworth Gets Forfeit Win on Coach’s Ejection

Chatsworth High right-hander Brandon Nickens was credited with a one-hitter Thursday when El Camino Real Coach Mike Maio was ejected in the fifth inning of a West Valley League finale that the Chancellors led, 2-0, at El Camino Real.

Maio was ejected by the plate umpire after arguing a called third strike. According to City Section rules, the game automatically is forfeited when a coach is ejected. Maio, who said he has not been ejected from a game since he began coaching in 1961, insisted that he should not have been thrown out.

When El Camino Real batter Evan Howland was called out to end the fifth, Maio said he walked to the plate, and as he picked up the bat and placed it in the bat rack, spoke to the umpire.

“I said, ‘You ought to get into the ballgame, you haven’t been there for five innings,’ ” Maio said. “Then he said, ‘Coach, you’re gone.’ ”

Said Chatsworth Coach Tom Meusborn, who heard the exchange: “There’s no way Mike should have been run. I said as much during the course of the game as Mike did. He didn’t use any profanity, and the guy never issued a warning or anything. I was shocked.”

Thurman Williams scored a run in the fourth for Chatsworth (17-6-1, 13-3-1 in league play) and drove in another with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Terry Morrow (2-3) took the loss. Greg Lederman’s double was the lone hit for El Camino Real (11-9, 9-8).

In other baseball games:

Taft 10, Reseda 1--In a West Valley League finale at Taft, Stacey Kleiner and Brandon Witkow each had three hits as Taft won a wild-card berth in the City 4-A playoffs. Matt Allison added two hits for Taft (7-18, 3-14), which will visit Grant in a wild-card game Monday at 3 p.m. Reseda finished 2-15, 2-15.

Sylmar 8, Grant 3--Robert Garcia was three for three and Cain Camarillo had three runs batted in as host Sylmar (19-6, 15-2) clinched the co-championship of the East Valley League and will be the No. 2-seeded team in the City 4-A playoffs.

Poly 19, North Hollywood 3--Marlon McKinney doubled twice and drove in three runs to lead host Poly (22-3, 15-2) to the co-championship of the East Valley League. Adolfo Rocha hit a three-run home run and Steve Chavez drove in three runs with a double for Poly. Adrian Perez tripled and homered for North Hollywood.

San Fernando 14, Cleveland 10--Dave Rojas was three for four, including a two-run triple, and Jose Nunez tied the San Fernando single-season home run record with his fourth to lead the host Tigers (13-11, 10-7) in a North Valley League game.

Monroe 11, Canoga Park 1--Jorge Dorado was four for four, including two doubles and a triple, to lead Monroe (13-7, 11-6), which tied for the Mid-Valley League championship and enters the playoffs as the league’s top-seeded team. Chris Frith-Smith (2-2) struck out six for Monroe.

Birmingham 11, Van Nuys 9--Visiting Birmingham jumped out to an 11-4 lead after three innings and held on for a share of the Mid-Valley League title. For Birmingham (13-11, 11-6), Adam Callen, Mike Malkin and Noah Kirshbaum each homered. Jesus Enciso had a home run and double for Van Nuys.

Simi Valley 4, Westlake 3--Tyler Nelson was three for three, including two doubles, and Aaron Fischer hit his eighth home run to lead host Simi Valley (21-4, 12-2) in a Marmonte League game.

Ryan Siedel hit a two-run home run for Westlake (10-14-1, 4-9-1). Simi Valley sophomore Bill Treadway posted his seventh win in eight decisions.

Fillmore 13, Moorpark 3--Fillmore’s Anthony Chessani was four for five with three doubles and three runs batted in in a nonleague game at Fillmore. Art Sosa had three hits and scored three runs for Fillmore (16-3-1). Juan Duran (5-2) got the win.

Maranatha 8, Village Christian 2--Maranatha scored five runs in the second inning to keep Village Christian (6-12-1, 0-10) winless in the Alpha League.

Ribet Academy 4, Antelope Christian 1--Ribet Academy, limited to one hit by Jason Allred and Marc Stevenson, took advantage of eight walks and two errors in a Heritage League game. Chad Erickson was three for four for Antelope Valley Christian.

L.A. Lutheran 9, First Lutheran 8--Matt McGraw, who had two hits, scored the winning run for L. A. Lutheran on a passed ball in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Heritage League game.

SOFTBALL

Hart 3, Burbank 2--Heather Medearis had two hits and Lisa Kelley drove in the eventual game-winning run in the third inning to lead visiting Hart (19-4, 9-1) to its fifth consecutive Foothill League title.

Crescenta Valley 8, Arcadia 0--Crescenta Valley’s Stacy Atwood struck out nine and allowed only three hits as Crescenta Valley (24-2, 9-1) won the Pacific League championship. Kristin Eagle had three hits and Jaime Klotthor had a three-run homer.

Glendale 2, Hoover 0 (eight innings)--Glendale clinched second place in the Pacific League with two runs in the eighth on run-scoring singles by Kristina DeGooyer and Syndee Bennett.

La Reina 7, Moorpark 0--Michelle St. Pierre (13-1) struck out six to lead La Reina (17-5, 9-1) to its second consecutive Tri-Valley League title.

Burroughs 13, Alhambra 0--Karina Cecena was four for four and Tiffany Langness and Nikki Mayfield each had three hits for Burroughs (12-7, 8-2) in a Foothill League game.

L.A. Lutheran 10, First Lutheran 9 (eight innings)--Carrie Schaumann had three hits for L. A. Lutheran in a Heritage League game.