Thieves Strike Baseball Teams

Eight pitching machines have been stolen from four Westside high schools in the last two months, raising concerns that a theft ring is in operation.

Beverly Hills was the first school struck the weekend of Dec. 18-19, when thieves cut a hole into a fence and stole two pitching machines from a batting cage.

Culver City had two pitching machines taken Jan. 25 from a locked storage container. On the weekend of Feb. 5-6, Los Angeles University had a pitching machine stolen from its softball storage container. On the same weekend, Venice had three pitching machines stolen from its baseball storage container.

“They know exactly where to go,” Venice baseball Coach Tim Alcantar said.

Police reports were filed in each instance, but it was Culver City baseball Coach Rick Prieto who discovered a possible pattern after learning of the other break-ins on the Westside.

“It’s a small ring thinking they can do something with used machines,” Prieto said.

Police agencies are investigating.

Eric Sondheimer

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Soccer

La Verne Damien (21-0-2) and Santa Ana Saddleback (21-0-2) have been seeded first for the Southern Section Division I and III boys’ soccer playoffs, which begin today with wild-card games in Divisions III, IV and VI. First-round games in all divisions are Saturday.

Los Angeles Loyola (27-3-1), a runner-up last season to Thousand Oaks, was seeded first in Division II.

Other top-seeded teams are defending champions Thermal Coachella Valley (14-7) in Division IV, L.A. Salesian (18-3) in Division V and Carpinteria (13-7) in Division VI. Coachella Valley shared the title last season with Santa Ana Valley.

In girls’ soccer playoff seedings, Los Alamitos (16-2-6) was seeded first in Division I and three-time defending champion San Clemente (13-1-8) was seeded second. The Tritons tied for the title the last two seasons, including a 0-0 draw with Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley last year.

Wild-card games will be played today in Divisions IV and V, with first-round games in all divisions Friday.

Other top-seeded teams are Placentia El Dorado (15-0-5) in Division II, Lakewood Mayfair (22-2-3) in Division III, Whittier La Serna (18-1-2) in Division IV, defending co-champion Westlake Village Oaks Christian (16-2-4) in Division V and Redlands Arrowhead Christian (19-1-1) in Division VI.