Fast-Moving Kolbe an Instant Success

A day after transferring to Cleveland High, Vince Kolbe led the Cavaliers to a 9-6 Northwest Valley Conference victory over Birmingham on Wednesday when he drove in the winning runs with a three-run double in the top of the seventh inning.

Kolbe then came on to pitch in the bottom of the inning for Cleveland (7-2, 3-1), recording the final two outs to earn the save. He finished with two hits and four runs batted in.

Kolbe began the school year at Chaminade before transferring to Calabasas late in 1995. But the 6-foot, 195-pound senior broke a school rule in February and last week was declared ineligible to play for Calabasas. He transferred to Cleveland on Tuesday.

Alberto Flores struck out 11 and walked five for Birmingham (2-6, 0-3). The walks and a hit batsman all led to Cleveland runs.

Facundo Barrera was four for four for Cleveland with two doubles, a triple and a home run. Teammate Greg Walker had two hits and three RBIs.

Chatsworth 10, Granada Hills 0--Joe Tillmon hit a grand slam in the sixth inning for the Chancellors in a Northwest Valley Conference victory over the Highlanders (4-4, 2-1).

Greg Wold threw an eight-hitter, striking out six, for Chatsworth.

Taft 4, San Fernando 3--Julio Sandoval (2-1) struck out five but took the loss for the Tigers (5-4, 1-3) in a Northwest Valley Conference game at San Fernando.

Camarillo 10, Simi Valley 2--Joe Borchard and Andy Kroneberger each had two hits, and Nathan Kaup pitched five scoreless innings as the Scorpions (8-1, 2-0) defeated the Pioneers (5-4, 0-2) in a Marmonte League game at Camarillo.

Kaup (2-0) struck out two and walked one as Camarillo earned its seventh consecutive victory. Kaup has not allowed a run in his last nine innings. Pat Colborn had a double and three RBIs.

Robert Comeau had two of the Pioneers’ four hits.

Westlake 8, Agoura 2--Scott Dragicevich hit a three-run home run in the second inning as the Warriors (4-3, 1-0) rolled to a Marmonte League victory at Westlake.

Dragicevich had two hits and four RBIs, and Matt Riordan had four hits and two RBIs.

Westlake starter Jay Kenny (2-2) struck out four and walked one in 5 1/3 innings.

Royal 6, Channel Islands 0--A three-run triple by Dorian Stitt in the fifth inning broke open a scoreless Marmonte League game at Royal (8-0, 1-0).

SOFTBALL

La Reina 1, Crossroads 0--Aimee Thompson scored from third on a ninth-inning Roadrunner throwing error. Jennifer Baltruzak (3-2) struck out four and walked three for La Reina (4-3).

BOYS’ TENNIS

Kennedy 4, El Camino Real 3--The Golden Cougars were down, 3-0, when Tim Choi won his No. 4 singles match, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, to propel Kennedy (5-1, 2-1) to a Northwest Valley Conference comeback at Kennedy.

Burbank 16, Crescenta Valley 2--Rafi Hovanessian, Mario Covarrubias and Adrian Facchetti each swept singles matches as the Bulldogs (7-1) handed the Falcons (5-1) their first loss of the season in a nonleague match at Crescenta Valley.

Hovanessian, playing at No. 1, lost only two games in his sweep.

Agoura 12, Camarillo 6--The Chargers (4-1, 3-0) upset the Scorpions (4-1, 1-1) in a Marmonte League match at Camarillo.

BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

Royal d. Simi Valley 15-1, 15-1, 15-6--Kevin Schommer had four kills and John Baxter had eight assists for Royal (4-0, 3-0) in a Marmonte League match at Simi Valley.