Santa Susana Wins Area Title

The Santa Susana American Legion baseball team routed Van Nuys Notre Dame, 12-4, Sunday to win the Area 6 title at UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium and advance to the eight-team state tournament in Yountville Aug. 1-4.

Santa Susana (23-5-1) led, 8-0, after two innings and had little trouble with Van Nuys Notre Dame (30-7), which advanced through the losers’ bracket and was playing its 11th game in 12 days.

Mike Byer (7-0) allowed nine hits and four runs, two earned, in eight innings. The left-hander struck out six, walked two and hit a batter. Tony Ortega and John Whipp each had three hits.

Santa Susana, a first-year Legion program comprised of recent graduates from Simi Valley and Royal highs, will play the champion of state district 5 at 9 a.m. Saturday in a first-round game at Yountville.