Simi Valley Wins 6th Marmonte Title in Past 7 Years, 6-0

No Marmonte League baseball team is willing to concede the league title to Simi Valley as early as March, but it certainly would save a lot of time and effort.

Simi Valley (19-6, 11-3 in league play) won its sixth championship in the past seven seasons Friday with a 6-0 victory over host Westlake that was highlighted by Bill Treadway’s three-hitter and the Pioneers’ 15-hit barrage.

The Pioneers even looked excited. They did a lot of yelling, even more jumping, and finally settled for a dog pile in the infield.

This routine has become routine at Simi Valley, which has won nine league titles since Mike Scyphers became coach in 1979. The Pioneers’ preseason drills, no doubt, include ground balls, a few swings, and the ever-famous dog pile.

“We don’t think of anything else but winning a championship,” said Aaron Fischer, a senior first baseman who had two doubles Friday. “We expect to win, day in and day out.”

That was apparent this season when the Pioneers refused to succumb to adversity. Injuries limited the playing time of four starters. Their No. 2 pitcher was declared ineligible by the Southern Section and Simi Valley forfeited two games.

“We’ve faced more difficult situations this season than we have in all the other seasons combined,” Scyphers said.

None of that mattered Friday.

Simi Valley, which finished one game ahead of Royal, used three two-out hits to score four runs and nine Pioneers had at least one hit. Junior center fielder Kevin Nykoluk had three hits, including a two-run single that gave Simi Valley a 3-0 lead in the fourth, and three stolen bases.

That was plenty for Treadway (5-1), who had struggled lately but had little difficulty with Westlake (12-11, 6-8). Treadway, who struck out four and walked two, retired 12 of the final 13 batters and extended Simi Valley’s scoreless innings streak to 14.

Seven Simi Valley fielders and three key pitchers return next season. And, judging by the number of Simi Valley junior varsity players who hit drives that sailed onto the varsity playing field Friday, it will be more of the same next season.

“I’d have to say we’re already the front-runners next year,” Scyphers said.

Surprise, surprise.