Bryant’s New Role Is Hardly a Problem for Notre Dame, 9-3

It was like asking Carl Lewis to win the Boston Marathon.

Austin Bryant, brilliant throughout the summer as Van Nuys Notre Dame’s short reliever, was asked Saturday to go further than he had ever gone before.

And the only thing riding on Bryant’s performance was Van Nuys Notre Dame’s season.

Bryant answered the call and made short work of Newhall Saugus Hart in a 9-3 victory in the American Legion District 20 playoffs at Burroughs High.

The right-hander, who had pitched only 23 1/3 innings in 11 previous outings, went seven strong innings against the defending District 20 champions.

“That was huge,” said Coach Jody Breeden, whose team was facing elimination.

Bryant (3-1) struck out three, allowed seven hits and no earned runs, while overcoming four Van Nuys Notre Dame errors.

“I’m really surprised I made it that far,” said Bryant, who was relieved by Phillip Polanco to begin the eighth. “Especially against a good-hitting team like Hart.”

Bryant’s gutsy outing enabled Van Nuys Notre Dame (25-5) to advance to today’s semifinals, where it will meet top-seeded Woodland Hills El Camino Real at 3 p.m. at Burroughs.

The winner of that game will face defending district champion Newhall Saugus Hart (24-6) later in the day.

The district champion advances to the Area 6 tournament next week at Birmingham High and UCLA.

Van Nuys Notre Dame collected 13 hits against Newhall Saugus Hart.

Brendan Ryan had three hits and Ryan Stonerock and John Puccinelli each doubled twice for Van Nuys Notre Dame, helping avenge an 18-6 loss to Newhall Saugus Hart on Friday night.

Puccinelli and Stonerock each drove in runs in the second inning, when Van Nuys Notre Dame had six hits and scored five times to break a scoreless tie.

Newhall Saugus Hart answered with three unearned runs in the third to close the margin to 5-3, but Van Nuys Notre Dame came back with a run in the fifth, two in the sixth and another in the seventh to pull away.

Newhall Saugus Hart pitcher Tim Hutting (2-3) singled and doubled, but yielded all 13 hits, four walks and hit a batter in seven innings.

* SPEEDING AHEAD: Following a slow start, Jon Garland, the former Kennedy High star, has found his fastball for Rockford, the Cubs’ Class-A affiliate. C10

* MINOR LEAGUE REPORT: C10

* MINOR LEAGUE STATISTICS: C10