Newhall Outhits Its Pitching

At the bottom of its pitching staff, Newhall turned to its offense in a 14-9 victory over Verdugo Hills in an American Legion District 20 playoff game on Saturday at Birmingham High.

With Josh Weitzman making a rare start because Coach Pat Eggleston wanted to save ace Chris Baker for today’s championship round, Newhall fell behind by six runs early.

However, the offense and clutch relief pitching by Mike Bench, another emergency pitcher, was enough to eliminate Verdugo Hills (16-9).

Newhall (23-2) can wrap up the district championship with a victory over Encino (18-10) today at noon at Birmingham.

If Encino, which eliminated West Hills (21-4) earlier Saturday, beats Newhall, the teams will play again 30 minutes later to determine the district’s representative in the Area 6 playoffs, which begin Thursday at UCLA.

Verdugo Hills took a 9-3 lead in the middle of the third inning, but Newhall began blasting away at the lead in the bottom of the fourth, when it scored five runs after Verdugo Hills botched a routine double-play ball that would have ended the inning.

Newhall took the lead in the bottom of the sixth on Weitzman’s two-run double. Weitzman had three hits, including two doubles. Brian Baron, Mike Bland and Bench each had three of Newhall’s 14 hits.

Bench (1-0), who pitched only two other times this year, pitched five scoreless innings of relief.

Jon Walton (0-2), making his second appearance of the season, gave up 11 runs in 5 2/3 innings for Verdugo Hills.

Encino 6, West Hills 3--Jon Cuccias (6-1) pitched a five-hitter for his second complete game-victory in five days.

“I have so much respect for that guy,” West Hills Coach Denny Barrett said. “I just hope I never have to see him again.”

Andy Campanella and Tomy Salazar each had three hits and Mike Turner hit a two-run home run for Encino.

DISTRICT 16

Camarillo beat Westlake-Royal-Oak, 22-5, and Ventura defeated Newbury Park, 8-1, creating a tie for the second of the district’s two Area 6 playoff berths. Camarillo (17-2) is one game ahead of Ventura and Westlake, both 16-3.

Camarillo plays a doubleheader against Westlake-Royal-Oak today at Camarillo High, while Ventura plays a doubleheader against Moorpark at St. Bonaventure High in Ventura.