Baseball Isn’t a Game of Weak at Chatsworth

Chatsworth Coach Tom Meusborn never imagined his teams could put together a record of 90-2 over a three-year period.

“That doesn’t happen in baseball,” he said. “I can’t explain it.”

Others understand what’s been happening.

“There’s not a facet of the game they are weak in, which puts constant pressure on your offense and defense,” Woodland Hills El Camino Real Coach Matt LaCour said.

LaCour left Monday’s West Valley League encounter with Chatsworth frustrated and angry at his team for wasting an opportunity to inflict a rare defeat on the top-ranked Chancellors (22-1, 9-0), who pulled out a 1-0 victory.

El Camino Real (19-5, 7-2), ranked No. 2 at the time in the Southland by The Times, did everything needed to win. Eric Pettis had a no-hitter for 4 2/3 innings. The Conquistadores made no errors. Chatsworth had only two hits, and the first seven players in the batting order went hitless. El Camino Real had runners in scoring position in the third, fourth and fifth innings.

But Chatsworth never wavered, then struck decisively in the fifth inning, getting a two-out walk, an infield single and a run-scoring double from catcher Carlos Najar to push across the game’s only run.

“I made two bad pitches and it cost us,” Pettis said. “It’s tough. We know we’re better. No one should ever win with one run, especially against us.”

Senior right-hander Darren Norris (8-0), who pitched only nine innings on the junior varsity last year, held the Conquistadores scoreless for 6 1/3 innings before Mike Moustakas got the final two outs for the save.

“Darren did an amazing job,” Najar said.

It’s stunning to think that Chatsworth’s two standouts Monday, Norris and Najar, have spent most of their high school careers on the junior varsity. That reveals plenty about how hard it is to make the Chancellors’ varsity.

“I’ve been waiting for a couple of years,” Najar said.

Added Norris: “This is what I’ve been preparing for, games like this. You have to practice hard every day and when your opportunity comes, you have to get the job done.”

The 6-foot-4 Norris struck out two, walked one and allowed four hits. Meusborn was thrilled afterward with the clutch performances of two players who had never experienced the intensity of a game against rival El Camino Real.

“Yes, they were on JVs,” Meusborn said, “but it’s testament to their preparation because they were ready for these situations.”

And no one should doubt how much pressure and scrutiny the players faced. It was an overflow crowd at Chatsworth and the game was televised locally.

“It’s not a playoff atmosphere,” Pettis said. “It’s a championship atmosphere.”

The two schools are scheduled to play a second league game Wednesday at El Camino Real and end the regular season at Chatsworth on May 11. Many think a fourth meeting could come May 28 in the City final at Dodger Stadium.

LaCour wasn’t satisfied with coming close to beating Chatsworth. “We need to win with that [pitching] performance,” he said.

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Jim Williamson, who built Los Angeles Loyola into a basketball powerhouse in six years as coach, is expected to be named coach at his alma mater, South Torrance, today.

Andrew Lambo, a sophomore outfielder considered the top player at Reseda Cleveland, has been lost for the season because of academic ineligibility.

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