VALLEY ROUNDUP : Chatsworth Takes Share of West Valley Title

Chatsworth High’s three-run fourth inning keyed a 5-3 victory over visiting Taft on Monday and helped the Chancellors win a share of the West Valley League baseball title.

The Chancellors (15-10, 11-6 in league play) and El Camino Real (15-7, 11-6), a 4-3 winner over Reseda, are league co-champions. However, because Chatsworth won all three of its league games with El Camino Real, the Chancellors will be the league’s top-seeded team in playoffs. Taft finished third at 12-9-1 and 10-7.

Trailing, 2-1, the Chancellors took a 4-2 lead in the fourth on run-scoring singles by Matt LaCour and David Stevenson and a sacrifice fly by Eddie Ramos.

Taft’s Stacey Kleiner, John Erganian, Matt Allison and Gabe Kapler each had two hits.

Bryan LaCour, Matt Gorman and Stevenson each went two for three for Chatsworth.

Senior right-hander Eric Holliday, who relieved starter Brandon Nickens (6-2) in the sixth, allowed no hits in the final 1 2/3 innings and picked up his fourth save.

In other baseball games:

El Camino Real 4, Reseda 3--The host Conquistadores secured a share of the West Valley League title by overcoming a two-run deficit in the seventh.

El Camino Real will advance to the playoffs as the league’s No. 2 team. Playoff pairings will be announced today.

Trailing 3-2, El Camino Real tied the score in the seventh on Dan Cey’s run-scoring single. Mike McLean’s sacrifice fly to center field drove in Justin Martin with the winning run.

Will Skett, who had three of Reseda’s six hits, hit a solo home run on the second pitch of the game to give the Regents (3-16, 1-16) the early edge.

Granada Hills 10, San Fernando 4--Scott Berger went two for three, scored two runs and drove in three to help the Highlanders (16-6, 11-6) win the North Valley League title.

Granada Hills and Kennedy were tied for the league lead before Monday’s games. Kennedy’s 5-4 loss to Cleveland helped the Highlanders win the title outright. Granada Hills and Kennedy were co-champions last year.

Berger’s two-run single in the third gave Granada Hills a comfortable 9-4 lead.

Junior right-hander Matt Livingston (7-3) threw a four-hitter, struck out seven and walked three for Granada Hills. Livingston gave up four hits in the first three innings, but was hitless through the final four.

Cleveland 5, Kennedy 4--The Cavaliers (12-9-1, 8-9) used 10 hits and six Kennedy errors to upset the Golden Cougars (18-8, 10-7) in a North Valley League game.

Kennedy led, 3-2, after three innings, but the Cavaliers scored two runs in the fourth to take a 4-3 lead.

The Golden Cougars tied the score, 4-4, on a sacrifice fly by John Davis, but Cleveland answered with a run in the seventh. With two out and the bases loaded, Cleveland scored the final run on an errant throw by shortstop Billy Ramirez.

Kennedy’s Rick Nadeau went three for four with a double and a home run.

SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS

Granada Hills 4, Taft 3--The Highlanders (15-2) scored four runs on two hits and three errors in the fourth to erase a three-run deficit and beat visiting Taft in a City Section 4-A Division quarterfinal game.

Brede Nivens hit a two-run home run with two out in the fourth to give Granada Hills a 4-3 lead.

Jessica Shapiro (9-1), who relieved Brandy Brennan in the second, allowed three hits and struck out 10 in six innings of work.

El Camino Real 13, San Fernando 1--Heidi Crocker drove in five runs with two hits--including a three-run triple in the second--to help the Conquistadores (13-8) beat visiting San Fernando (12-8) in a 4-A quarterfinal game.

El Camino Real’s Jennifer Gould (13-8) threw a four-hitter and struck out 11. The Conquistadores will face top-seeded San Pedro (15-2) on Wednesday.

San Pedro 2, Cleveland 1--Michelle Diana hit a solo home run in the seventh for Cleveland’s only hit and run in a 4-A quarterfinal game.

Franklin 9, Monroe 5--Franklin (15-2) scored seven runs in the fourth on six hits--including three doubles--and beat Monroe (10-6) in a 3-A quarterfinal game.