El Segundo Gears Up for Legion Playoffs

El Segundo is among the teams competing in the American Legion Area 2 baseball playoffs that begin Saturday at Blair Field in Long Beach.

El Segundo (25-7) will open double-elimination play against Long Beach Millikan at 1 p.m. Peninsula, San Pedro and Redondo have also advanced to the playoffs.

In opening-round games, Peninsula plays Long Beach Wilson at 10 a.m., San Pedro meets Gahr at 4 p.m. and Redondo plays Lakewood at 7 p.m. Lakewood is the top-seeded team in Area 2.

“We’re playing very well, but you get into that tournament and pitching depth and breaks become a big factor,” El Segundo Coach John Stevenson said. “Pitching depth isn’t that important at the start of the tournament, but it is later on.”

The El Segundo pitching staff is led by starters David Reed (8-1), Dave Scanlon (7-1) and Jamin Kear (6-1).

The tournament will continue through Thursday. The winner will advance to the state tournament, which begins Aug. 7 in Yountville.

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Three girls from the Rancho Palos Verdes-Marathom’s track and field team placed at the USA Region 15 Junior Olympics championships last weekend at Balboa Stadium in San Diego.

In youth girls competition, Miho Tanaka finished third in the triple jump with a leap of 32-feet-7 1/2 and fifth in the long jump with a mark of 15-4 1/4. Julianne Weick was fourth in the shotput with a put of 30-9.

Tanaka and Weick will be freshmen at Peninsula High in the fall.

In midget girls competition, Shannon Lewallen of Pt. Vicente Elementary was sixth in the long jump with a mark of 13-6.

Mike Haggerty of Miraleste Intermediate School was seventh in youth boys competition in the high jump with a leap of 4-10.

The team will end its season at the Track City International meet today through Sunday in Eugene, Ore.

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The Ajax soccer club team of Manhattan Beach won its second consecutive women’s amateur championship Sunday with a 7-2 victory over the Florida Comets in Indianapolis.

Ajax, coached by Todd Saldana, was led by forward Christiana Van Leeuwen-Kaufman, who had five of the team’s 11 goals in the two-game tournament. Van Leeuwen-Kaufman, who lives in Manhattan Beach, was named the tournament’s most valuable player.

The team had defeated Opus County of Massachusetts, 4-2, in the semifinals.

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The Peck Park all-star youth baseball team of San Pedro has advanced to the 1993 Khoury League World Series for ages 13-15 that starts next Friday in St. Louis.

The all-stars defeated East Long Beach, 22-0, Penmar, 11-6, and Patrick Henry, 14-1, to win the regional title.

Peck Park will open series play on July 31 against a team from Florida.

The squad is raising funds for the trip with carwashes in San Pedro. There will be carwashes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Joe’s Auto Body and the American Red Cross in San Pedro.

Information: Cam Mandac at (310) 519-0846, or Conrad Aguirre at (310) 547-2792.

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The Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation Department will conduct a baseball camp for youths 9 to 12 from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through July 30 at Live Oak Park, 1901 Valley Drive, Manhattan Beach.

The cost is $100. The camp director is Dave Leeper, a former USC and major league player.

Registration is at the department office in Manhattan Beach City Hall, 1400 Highland Ave.

Information: Charlotte Marshall at (310) 545-5621, ext. 318.

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More than 350 athletes and coaches are expected to participate in the eighth annual Special Olympic softball tournament on Saturday and Sunday at Rowley Park in Gardena.

Tournament officials are seeking volunteers as hosts and scorekeepers.

Information: Anna Hudson or Kelly Fujio at (310) 217-9537.

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Boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade are eligible for South Bay Youth Basketball shooting and fundamentals camp from noon to 5 p.m. on Aug. 2-6 at Manhattan Beach Intermediate School in Manhattan Beach.

The cost is $100, including a T-shirt and awards.

Information: Jack Speciale at (310) 545-4828.