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Crespi Youngsters Growing Up in Summer : Legion baseball: Encino, composed of Celt players, rallies, 8-7.

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TIMES STAFF WRITER

Scott Muckey just keeps churning them out.

And if his Encino American Legion team is any indication, Muckey is building yet another strong high school aggregation. Encino, composed entirely of players who will return to Crespi High, beat Westlake-Royal, 8-7, Saturday in an interdistrict game at Moorpark College.

“We’ve got a good sophomore group,” said Muckey, who conveniently coaches both the Encino Legion and Crespi High teams. “That’s not a secret.”

One of those youngsters is Chris Hebert, who drove in the tying run with a triple in the top of the ninth then scored the winning run on a sacrifice fly. Then he pitched the bottom of the ninth, picking up his first save.

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Muckey uses only players who are returning to Crespi. Most of the Encino players this summer will be juniors. The team is 12-1, 11-1 in District 20 play. This victory was significant because Westlake-Royal (14-3-1) is the top team in District 16.

“I was real happy with how we hit the ball,” Muckey said. “They were pitching their (second-string) guys, but they were still probably the best pitchers we’ve seen.”

Westlake-Royal Coach Mike McClure was saving his top pitchers for a doubleheader today against Ventura.

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Erik Devine started for Westlake-Royal but was taken out in the fourth inning. Bill Treese then pitched 4 1/3 strong innings, leaving the game with a 7-6 lead. David Vicari (0-1) came on but couldn’t hold off Encino.

Bob Beamon walked with one out in the ninth, and scored on Hebert’s triple into the left-center field gap. Chris Crawley hit a fly ball to shallow center and Hebert scored ahead of the throw to the plate.

Hebert, who was wild, had trouble holding the lead in the bottom of the ninth.

After a walk and consecutive forceouts at second, he threw a wild pitch and balked, putting the tying run at third. He hit Matt Riordan, but Tim Carr popped up to the shortstop to end the game.

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Encino’s Jon Cuccias (3-0), who pitched the bottom of the eighth, picked up the victory.

Brad Farlow had two doubles, and Brett Niles, Jessie Slade and Ray Munoz each had two hits for Encino. Charlie Hirsh hit a solo home run for Westlake-Royal.

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