HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL / CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS : Sylmar Takes Advantage of University Miscues, Wins in 8th, 6-5

Shane Rankin singled home Anthony Martinez with one out in the eighth to give Sylmar High a 6-5 come-from-behind victory over University in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division baseball playoffs Tuesday at Sylmar.

Sylmar (20-7), the No. 2-seeded team, trailed, 5-2, after 6 1/2 innings, but the Spartans scored three runs in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.

Andy Camarillo started the tying rally with a one-out walk and Oscar Mendoza singled Camarillo to second. Rankin, Jaime Cordero and Art Diaz followed with consecutive walks to narrow Sylmar’s deficit to 5-4, and the Spartans tied the score, 5-5, when Joey Anaya’s grounder to third was thrown away at first base.

Carlos Velazco (11-1) picked up the victory in relief, giving up four hits and one earned run in four innings.

In other first-round 4-A games:

Monroe 11, San Pedro 3--The Vikings (19-4) overcame a 3-0 first-inning deficit by scoring four in the second and six more in the third at Monroe.

Robert Ballester had a two-run single in the second, and Joel Zamuido hit a two-run homer and Jorge Dorado added a two-run single in the third. Zamuido (7-0) struck out 11 and allowed four hits over six innings.

San Fernando 7, Westchester 3--Jerry Serratos’ three-run triple in the fourth inning gave the Tigers (12-10-1) a 7-0 lead at Westchester (22-8). Raymond Rivera (8-5) pitched five scoreless innings and allowed six hits before being relieved in the sixth.

Cabrera Tony, Javier Lujan and Vince Guerrero each had two hits for San Fernando.

Kennedy 3, North Hollywood 1--Tommy Manning threw a five-hitter, striking out seven to lead the third-seeded Golden Cougars (24-3) at Kennedy. The deciding runs for Kennedy came on a bases-loaded walk to Kenny Bernas and a steal of home by catcher David Bourne on a double steal.

North Hollywood (11-12) had four base runners either caught stealing or picked off.

Taft 4, Carson 3--The Toreadors broke a tie with three runs in the top of the seventh, then held on at Carson. John Soto led off the seventh with his sixth homer of the season. Gabe Kapler and Warren Stewart added RBI singles.

The Colts (17-14) combined four errors and a walk for two runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Stewart retired the final two batters. Stewart (4-4) pitched a four-hitter and struck out five.

Chatsworth 10, Venice 0--Jim DiBiase pitched a four-hitter, striking out 10, and clung to a 1-0 lead until the fifth inning when Chatsworth (20-7) scored nine runs.

The Chancellors sent 12 batters to the plate and all the runs came with two out. Brandon Murphy’s two-run single and Mark Lopez’s two-run double were the key hits.