Van Nuys East Rolls 7, Rocks Newhall Saugus

VAN NUYS — The beginning was the end for Newhall Saugus on Thursday in an American Legion baseball District 20 playoff game against Van Nuys East at Birmingham High.

Top-seeded Van Nuys East drubbed fifth-seeded Newhall Saugus, 16-3, scoring seven runs in the first inning and using the 10-run rule to end the game after seven innings.

Ryan Stonerock pitched a four-hitter for Van Nuys East and Jorge Piedra had four hits, including a triple, and two runs batted in.

“Most of the time you’d rather have a game be close because it keeps you intense,” Stonerock said. “With a big lead you can get lackadaisical. But this was a playoff game so I was intense the whole time.”

Stonerock struck out three and walked four while allowing one earned run.

Newhall Saugus scored twice in the fourth, the first on a home run by Chris Coash.

In the fifth, Stonerock remained in the game after a line drive by Chris Wright bounced off his foot and hit him in the cheek, cutting the inside of his mouth.

Van Nuys East (24-4) sent 12 men to the plate in the first, getting six hits while Newhall Saugus made two errors.

Van Nuys East led, 8-0, in the third and 10-0 in the fourth.

Newhall Saugus (21-7) pulled to within eight runs in the fourth, surrendered another run in the fifth and made the score 11-3 after five innings.

Van Nuys East scored five runs in the seventh when John Puccinelli hit a three-run double.

Van Nuys East plays Valley North today at 4 p.m. at Valley College. Newhall Saugus plays Palmdale in an elimination game at 1 p.m. at Birmingham High.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

(C1) PLAYOFF SCORES

* Van Nuys East: 16

* Newhall Saugus: 3

* Woodland Hills West: 15

* Antelope Valley North: 1

* Palmdale: 9

* Woodland Hills East: 6

* Valley North: 12

* Central Valley: 6