Van Nuys East Rolls 7, Rocks Newhall Saugus

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.

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(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