El Camino Real Wins Without Scoring Style Points : City 4-A baseball playoffs: Top-seeded Conquistadores grind out a 5-0 victory over Van Nuys in opening round.

A half-dozen pitches into the game, leadoff batter Justin Martin of El Camino Real High took off from first on an attempted steal. Wheels churning, he dove head-first into second and landed with a splat. He beat the throw, skidded into the bag, crawled to his feet and raised his arms over his head in an acknowledgment of his less-than-textbook effort.

“It rained out here and the basepaths were real soft,” Martin said. “I landed with a thud. It even snapped my head back.”

Crude-but-effective also describes the overall effort as the top-seeded Conquistadores knocked off Van Nuys, 5-0, Tuesday in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs at El Camino Real.

It may have been something of a crash landing for Martin and Co., but they survived. El Camino Real, ranked sixth in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, will play host to Banning on Thursday at 3 p.m.

El Camino Real (21-2) managed only four hits off junior right-hander Jesus Bolivar (4-7), but made up for the lack of lumber with a display of lightening. The Conquistadores swiped three bases, starting with Martin’s team-high 13th theft.

Martin, who walked four times, came around to score on a ground out by Randy Wolf for a 1-0 lead. The Conquistadores didn’t have a hit until shortstop Dan Cey a two-run homer over the fence in right-center with one out in the third.

“I didn’t think we played as well as we have been,” said El Camino Real Coach Mike Maio, whose team entered postseason play batting .372. “But I guess it’s better to win ugly than to lose beautifully.”

Right-hander Kevin Szymanski (9-1) wobbled once or twice, but held on for his 10th complete game in as many starts. With El Camino Real holding a 5-0 lead in the sixth, Benjamin Navarrete and Alex Alvarenga singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, prompting a visit to the pitcher’s mound by Maio.

Szymanski buckled down, retiring the side on a pop fly and a pair of strikeouts. Szymanski allowed a single and walk to open the seventh, resulting in a repeat visit from the coach. However, Szymanski wriggled off the hook, escaping the jam.

“Every time he came out he told me that if I didn’t get the next guy, he was bringing in Randy (Wolf),” said Szymanski, who allowed six hits and struck out three. “That pumped me up. I wanted to finish it up.”

Leading, 3-0, in the fourth, El Camino Real manufactured two more runs. With two out, Mike Smith singled, and with Chris Seal at the plate, broke for second on a hit-and-run play. Seal singled sharply to left-center, and Smith circled the bases. Seal later scored on a throwing error.