Newhall Slams Sepulveda in District 20 Legion Game : Baseball: Baker (6-0) settles down after shaky start, strikes out nine in easy 14-1 victory.

Just as the Newhall American Legion team was headed out to the field for the bottom of the seventh inning, Coach Pat Eggleston had more than a little sarcasm in his voice when he yelled: “OK. Let’s hold ‘em.”

Newhall’s Chris Baker strode to the mound, retired three consecutive hitters, and finished off a tidy 14-1 District 20 victory over Sepulveda on Thursday at Canyon High.

The rout pushed Newhall’s record to 14-1, tops in the district.

“This is the best team we’ve seen this year,” Sepulveda Coach Steve Cohen said. “This was the best team we saw last year, too.”

Newhall, which combines players from Hart and Canyon highs, seems to have this Legion thing figured out.

The regular season anyway.

Last year, Newhall went 17-4 in the regular season and was seeded No. 1 for the district double-elimination playoffs, but was swept in two games.

Of course, last year Newhall didn’t have Baker.

Baker (6-0), a right-hander who just finished his senior year at Hart, got off to a shaky start when he gave up a run on two hits in the first, but he toyed with Sepulveda the rest of the game.

In the final six innings, Baker gave up only one infield single and one unusual walk. The base umpire called ball four because Baker touched his face while standing on the mound.

But Baker was otherwise sharp. He struck out nine, including the final two hitters looking at nasty curveballs.

“He always has trouble in the first inning and sometimes in the second,” Eggleston said. “But after that he usually tightens up.”

Newhall, which was officially the visiting team though it was on its home field, gave Baker all the run support he would need before he even took the mound.

Brian Baron drove in a run with a single, Mike Bench drove in another on a fielder’s choice and Mike Bland drove in two more with a single, giving Newhall a 4-0 first-inning lead.

Newhall didn’t need the help, but Sepulveda obliged in the inning with an error and two other misplayed ground balls.

“We opened the window of opportunity and they climbed through,” Cohen said.

Newhall took a 5-1 lead in the second. There was no further scoring until the seventh, mostly because Newhall hitters were swinging for the fences and wound up hitting harmless pop flies.

“They were all trying to go downtown with everything,” Eggleston said, “and you just can’t do that.”

Not unless you are Aaron Dean.

Dean, Newhall’s first baseman, crushed a grand slam to right field, finishing off a nine-run seventh inning.

After he hit the ball, Dean, a left-handed batter, did his best Barry Bonds impression as he stood at home plate to watch it fly.

It was the district-leading eighth home run for Dean, who also had two doubles.

“He’s just a powerhouse,” Eggleston said. “There’s no two ways about it. He’s just a complete ballplayer.”

Josh Weitzman added a three-run home run and a double for Newhall.