Hitting Barrage Curtails Struggle

If hitting is contagious, this was an epidemic.

Chatsworth High collected 25 hits en route to a 21-5 victory over San Fernando on Thursday in a Northwest Valley Conference baseball game at Chatsworth.

The Chancellors (10-5, 5-1 in conference play), who managed only four singles in a 5-4 victory at San Fernando on Tuesday, manhandled four Tiger pitchers for 18 singles and seven extra-base hits.

All but one of 16 Chatsworth batters had at least one hit. Senior Frank DiPoma, who walked twice and failed to get a hit in his first four plate appearances, provided the finishing touch with a towering, two-run home run to highlight an eight-run sixth inning that included 10 hits.

“It was just one of those days,” Chatsworth Coach Tom Meusborn said. “We’ve had a couple of guys struggling. But even the guys who came off the bench were hitting.”

Overshadowed by the offensive fireworks was a solid pitching performance by senior right-hander Greg Wold (3-2). Wold allowed one run and scattered six hits through six innings. He struck out seven.

Wold also drove in four runs with a double and two singles. Tim Weigand opened the scoring with a run-scoring triple in the first. Travis Winn, Bryan Gant, Mike Kunes and Tom Morefield each had doubles.

“We talked about it in practice, that we could do a better job, offensively,” Meusborn said.

A long talk likely will begin the next San Fernando practice. The Tigers (9-7, 0-6) committed five errors and scored two runs in the seventh off reliever Jaime Bocanegra.

“I’m going to try everything in my power to pick these guys up,” San Fernando Coach Armando Gomez said. “The guys are frustrated, but I still think we can play with anyone in this conference. I’m not giving up on these guys.”

Chatsworth roughed sophomore right-hander Simon Arredondo (2-1) for five runs in the first inning and chased him with three more in the second.

Eddie Segura, Ronald Herrera and Omar Martinez didn’t fare much better. Chatsworth led, 13-3, after four innings.