LEGION BASEBALL : Woodland Hills East Wins as Kapler Delivers

Gabe Kapler realized quickly he made a mistake. Almost as quickly, he made up for it.

The Woodland Hills East center fielder allowed Van Nuys East to tie an American Legion District 20 playoff game by misplaying a ball into an inside-the-park home run during the seventh inning Saturday at Birmingham High. In the bottom of the inning, his two-out single drove in the go-ahead run that led to an 8-6 victory.

Woodland Hills East (18-7) eliminated top-seeded Van Nuys East (21-4), clearing the way for a championship match with Woodland Hills West, which knocked out Las Virgenes, 7-2, earlier Saturday.

The Woodland Hills rivals will play at 11 a.m. at Birmingham. East needs one victory for the title. If West (21-4) wins, the teams will play again at 3:30 p.m.

Regardless of today’s outcome, both teams are guaranteed berths in the Area 6 playoffs this week at UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium.

With Woodland Hills East ahead, 4-2, and a runner at first in the seventh, Van Nuys East’s Cesar Martinez lined a shot into center. Kapler dived trying for a spectacular catch, but the ball went past him to the fence, allowing two runs to score.

“It was a stupid idea,” Kapler said. “I should have stayed back. But all that matters now is we won, and we are going on to the next level.”

In the bottom of the seventh, Kapler’s two-out single drove in Stacy Kleiner from third. An error by Van Nuys East pitcher Mike Smith (4-1) allowed two more runs to score.

Van Nuys East scored twice in the ninth, but the game ended when Jasen McConaghy was tagged out in a rundown between third and home.

Dusty Cook (3-1) earned the victory, giving up three earned runs in eight innings.

Woodland Hills West 7, Las Virgenes 2--Kevin Szymanski (5-1) threw a 95-pitch, seven-hitter for Woodland Hills West.

John Novak drove in three runs and Mike Smith hit a solo home run for Woodland Hills West.

Las Virgenes starter Joe Smith (5-2), pitching on three days’ rest, walked three and gave up six runs in 1 2/3 innings.