AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL / JEFF FLETCHER : Van Nuys South Defies Logic With Series of Comeback Victories

Logic says Van Nuys South shouldn’t be strong. The newly formed team draws most of its players from Grant High, which was 6-16 during the spring.

But, somehow, Van Nuys South is off to a 6-1 start.

“The one thing we have been working on is trying to have a real positive attitude,” Coach Alan Amitin said. “We told the players they could only play on this team if they brought a lot of enthusiasm, effort and a positive attitude.”

Amitin said he turned away some players because they lacked those ingredients.

Mike Weiss personifies the turnaround. A senior at Grant, Weiss was 2-9 this spring. He is 3-0 in legion play.

“The difference is totally mental,” Amitin said of Weiss. “He comes out expecting to win.”

Van Nuys South has come from behind in five of its six victories. The most notable was the second game of a twi-night doubleheader against Burbank North, when Van Nuys South scored three runs with two out in the seventh inning to win. The deciding run scored on a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch.

“After each game I say, ‘If you guys would make it a little easier, I might be able to grow hair again,’ ” said Amitin, who is balding.

The top players have come from the past, present and future of Grant baseball.

Outfielders Jorge Martinez and Justin Howard graduated from Grant in 1992. Second baseman Aaron Amitin, the coach’s son, and third baseman Dylan Forman played varsity in ’93. First baseman Josh Weiss, right-hander Shawn Smith (3-0) and center fielder Adam Frank played for the junior varsity.

“We’re trying to use (Legion) as sort of a training ground for the younger guys,” Amitin said.

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No hits, no one knew: Westlake-Royal Coach Mike McClure swears he didn’t know that his starter, Chris Flanagan, had a no-hitter when he pulled him after four innings in the second game of a doubleheader against Oak Park on Sunday.

It wasn’t until after he removed reliever Jay Kenney before the seventh that someone on the bench noticed Oak Park did not have a hit. Tony Dellamano pitched the final inning to finish off the no-hitter and a 14-0 victory for Westlake-Royal (4-0).

“It was one of those games where we were more concerned about what we were doing at the plate than what they were doing at the plate,” McClure said.

McClure used Flanagan, a junior at Westlake last season; Kenney, a freshman at Westlake, and Dellamano, a former Westlake player who was drafted two weeks ago by the Cubs out of Pierce College, because he wanted to get them ready for Tuesday’s game against Santa Barbara, one of the top teams in District 16.

The game was postponed from last week because Dos Pueblos High, from which Santa Barbara draws players, played in the Southern Section Division II championship game Wednesday.

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They’re out: Newbury Oaks had to forfeit Saturday against Camarillo B because it ran out of players. The team began the game with only nine players because two were playing in the L.A. Watts Summer Games and two were playing in the Ventura County All-Star baseball game.

In the fourth inning, first baseman Jeff Hook was injured on a collision at first base. When he couldn’t continue in the fifth, Newbury Oaks, which trailed, 11-6, had to forfeit.

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Odds and ends: Verdugo Hills pitchers have walked only four batters in their first 31 innings. Using players from Crescenta Valley, Glendale and St. Francis, Verdugo Hills is 5-0. The team will meet Woodland Hills West, which has most of the players from City 4-A champion El Camino Real, on Saturday at 10 a.m. in one of the season’s best early matchups. . . .

Encino lost its first four games. That’s one more loss than Crespi, the base school, had in 30 high school games. The reason is simple: Coach Scott Muckey uses only players who are returning to high school. The only starters from Crespi who are playing for Encino are third baseman Gus Jordt, outfielder Brad Farlow, and first baseman Brad Wright. . . .

After being drafted, Van Nuys East catcher Dave Supple must believe he can hit. Supple, who batted .211 this spring for Notre Dame High, was selected in the 50th round by the Angels. In his first Legion game after getting the news, he hit a grand slam and drove in six runs. . . .

Chris Garza is another hot hitter for Van Nuys East. Garza, who started the high school season slowly because of shoulder problems, had 18 hits in his last 30 at-bats for Notre Dame and is nine for 16 with two home runs and 10 runs batted in for Van Nuys East.