Ventura Passes By Rio Mesa When Vizzo Scores in 7th

Danny Vizzo scored from third base on a passed ball with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Ventura High a 5-4 victory over Rio Mesa on Tuesday in a wild-card game of the Southern Section Division II baseball playoffs.

Rio Mesa (13-17) scored three runs--two unearned--in the seventh to tie the score, 4-4, but Ventura loaded the bases with one out before Vizzo scored.

“We were going to try and squeeze him in on the second pitch,” Coach Dan Smith said. “But the first pitch was in the dirt.”

Jason Hawes of Ventura (13-13) had two hits, drove in a run and scored twice.

Ventura plays at top-seeded Hart (25-1) on Friday.

Hawes led off the second with a single and scored on a squeeze by Mike Vizzo, Danny’s older brother.

Hawes hit a one-out solo home run in the fourth to give Ventura a 2-1 lead.

Carlos Gonzales had two hits for Rio Mesa.

Palmdale 4, Canyon 3--The host Falcons’ victory in the Division II wild-card game advanced them into a first-round matchup at second-seeded Mater Dei on Friday.

Agoura 9, Atascadero 7--Paul Farinacci’s fly scored Jason Lefkowitz with the go-ahead run in the sixth inning, and the Chargers rallied from a 7-5 deficit in a Division III wild-card game at Agoura.

Brian Grant had two hits, including a triple, and drove in two runs, and Adam Schneider had a two-run double for the Chargers (17-7).

Brandon Canning (9-3) pitched three hitless innings of relief, striking out four for Agoura.

City Section

Chatsworth 11, Birmingham 1--Jared Halpert had two triples, a double, two runs batted in and scored four times for the Chancellors in a West Valley League finale that was called after five innings because of the 10-run rule at Birmingham.

Sean Richards (5-0) allowed seven hits, struck out four and walked two for Chatsworth (27-2, 13-2 in league play).

Chancellor pitcher Justin Cassel was hospitalized with appendicitis on Tuesday, but it hadn’t been decided if he would require surgery.

Granada Hills 8, Cleveland 3--Thomas Schultz had a home run, double, three RBIs and scored twice for the host Highlanders in a West Valley League game.

Derek Kinzler had three hits, an RBI and scored twice for Granada Hills (19-9, 10-5), which finished second behind Chatsworth in the league.

Poly 18, Canoga Park 5--Josh Wheeler hit a grand slam to highlight an 11-run fifth inning in a Sunset Six League finale at Lanark Park in Canoga Park.

Gabe Pena had two hits, four RBIs and scored twice for Poly (20-6, 10-2).