Yet Another Cassel Is On the Rise

In the bleachers Monday at Chatsworth High, the matriarch of the Cassel family was squirming through another one of those nerve-racking moments that routinely come when you’re the mother of four athletes.

Justin Cassel was on the mound for Chatsworth and starting to struggle despite a nine-run lead against West Valley League rival Woodland Hills El Camino Real.

The bases were loaded with one out. Momentum was changing. Then Cassel struck out the next two batters and Mom could exhale again.

“Oh my gosh,” Barbara Cassel said. “My emotions are shot. [My kids] are going to be leaving the sports world and become Teamsters. I can’t handle this.”

Except her children aren’t ready to retire. Oldest son Jack is a pitcher in the San Diego Padres’ organization. The next son, Matt, could learn this week if he has won the starting quarterback job at USC. The youngest, daughter Amanda, is a high jumper at Woodland Hills Louisville.

And there’s Justin, who improved his pitching record to 5-0 in a 13-3 six-inning victory over El Camino Real. Chatsworth is 11-0 and ranked No. 2 in the Southland by The Times. Cassel, who has signed with UC Irvine, could be the best pitcher in the City Section.

Irvine Coach John Savage was sitting behind home plate admiring his future right-hander.

“He’s a pretty complete pitcher,” Savage said. “He’s pretty advanced for a high school guy. His body looks as strong as it ever has. He’s got a great makeup, loves to pitch and is a leader on and off the field. And he comes from good bloodlines.”

The Cassels are respected not only for their athleticism but their outgoing personalties. Everyone wants to hug them. And they always respond in kind.

“When we all get together, it’s nonstop fun,” Justin said. “We could sit in a room for hours and have fun and enjoy ourselves.”

When the boys were young, though, word is they could be quite rambunctious, especially in wrestling matches.

Now that the 6-foot-5, 225-pound Matt has gained a chiseled body playing football at USC, the other two boys have raised the white flag of surrender.

“Matt would kill us right now,” Justin said. “He’s too big for us flimsy baseball players.”

Justin, though, is no out-of-shape senior. His dedicated work in the weight room last year changed his body and helped make him a consistent pitcher.

He weighed 220 pounds after his sophomore season and was not living up to the hype that his last name had generated.

“I thought I could get by because of my last name and the talent I had,” he said. “I finally figured out I needed to change if I was going to play a Division I [college] sport.”

He started rising in the morning to visit a gym and work out before school. He got tips on nutrition and workout routines from Matt. He dropped 30 pounds, got stronger and gained stamina. He went 10-2 with a 1.86 earned-run average last season.

Today he’s 6-2, 190 pounds, with a body and arm motion that scouts compare to former Encino Crespi pitcher Jeff Suppan of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“There’s a Suppan look to him in terms of body frame and clean delivery,” Savage said.

From his older brothers, Justin has learned about staying calm and under control in difficult situations.

“He works for situations and when they happen, he’s ready for it,” catcher Jordan Sisson said.

Justin is the first to acknowledge that playing for a team with a .408 batting average is great comfort for any pitcher. Jason Dominguez and Mike Fernandez each hit two-run home runs Monday to stake Cassel to an 11-1 lead.

Chatsworth Coach Tom Meusborn isn’t about to become overly excited with his team’s unbeaten start. The Chancellors won their first 19 games last season before going into a horrendous slump.

“There were no rings handed out today,” Meusborn said.

“These guys have been battle-tested. We’re trying to get better each game.”

Justin was hit by a line drive on his thigh in the second inning and didn’t budge, fulfilling the Cassel motto.

“You suck it up and take it, then put on an ice pack,” Barbara said.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com