Sylmar Puts a Scare Into Chatsworth

With Chatsworth’s unbeaten season in serious jeopardy, a tiring Jason Dominguez was able to get Steven Garcia of Sylmar to fly out with the bases loaded in the seventh inning, preserving the Chancellors’ 6-4 victory Wednesday in a City Section Championship division quarterfinal playoff game at Chatsworth.

Willie Cabrera, Chatsworth’s senior second baseman, went four for four with two doubles, a single and a home run, giving him 68 hits on the season, tying the state record and raising his batting average to .540.

The top-seeded Chancellors (33-0), who have won 48 consecutive games over two seasons, fell behind, 3-0, on a first-inning three-run home run by David Madrigal.

Starting pitcher Jake Norton was pulled in the third inning after giving up five hits to the Spartans (20-12).

Dominguez (12-0) restored order, striking out eight in five innings of relief, but he threw 88 pitches and isn’t likely to be available for Chatsworth’s semifinal game Friday against Granada Hills Kennedy at Lake Balboa Birmingham.

Fourth-seeded Kennedy (23-10) defeated Sun Valley Poly, 9-1, on Wednesday.

-- Eric Sondheimer

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Second-seeded San Pedro had consecutive home runs in the first and third innings to build a five-run lead, then held on to beat Reseda Cleveland, 5-3, in a City Section Championship quarterfinal at wind-swept San Pedro.

The Pirates (30-3) will play third-seeded Woodland Hills El Camino Real (24-8), a 10-0 winner over San Fernando in five innings, in a semifinal on Friday.

San Pedro shortstop Steve Carrillo and center fielder Grant Harper hit solo home runs in the first. Harper then slammed a two-run homer in the third and third baseman Steve Taylor followed with a solo shot over the right-field fence, which measures only 265 feet down the line.

Harper, whose uncle is former major leaguer Brian Harper, has hit all seven of his home runs in the last 11 games, including three in the playoffs.

Cleveland, which started only one senior, ended 19-13.

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With a 1.16 team earned-run average, Riverside Woodcrest Christian will take on Ontario Christian in the Southern Section Division V championship game tonight at 7:30 at UC Irvine.

The fourth-seeded Royals (22-6) are led by senior pitchers Billy Hall (10-1, 1.28) and Trent Knapp (12-2, 0.62).

Coach Glenn Prater, who led the Royals to their only title in 2000, said he expects Knapp to start against Ontario Christian (22-4).

In the Division VI final, Joshua Springs will play Santa Clarita Christian at 4:30 p.m., also at UCI.

-- Dan Arritt

Track and Field

A desire to attend a luncheon hosted by Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon on Saturday led to the withdrawal of Kurt Boehm of Lancaster Paraclete from the state championships this weekend in Sacramento.

Boehm cleared a career-best 15 feet 8 inches in the pole vault to win his second consecutive title in the Southern Section Masters Meet. However, he felt it was more important for him to attend the luncheon because McKeon had nominated him for his appointment to West Point.

“It was a matter of priorities,” Boehm said. “I want [McKeon] to know how much I appreciate what he did for me.”

-- John Ortega