Chatsworth Powers Past Calabasas

REDONDO BEACH — So much for that rebuilding year for the Chatsworth High baseball team.

With their 9-5 victory Saturday night over previously undefeated Calabasas in the Blue Division final of the Westside tournament at Redondo High, the Chancellors appear as strong as ever.

This time the pitching struggled more than usual.

But the offense sparked the Chancellors (5-0) to victory.

Chatsworth, which won the City championship last year, belted three home runs.

Trailing, 5-2, in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Chancellors went ahead for good with a four-run rally.

They made it 5-5 on a two-run home run by Jacob Ball and went ahead on a double by Danny Dominguez that scored Brett Munson from second.

“That was the first strike I saw all day,” Ball said. “I was just trying to get a rally going.”

Chatsworth added home runs by Matt Fisher and Brian Levinson in the sixth.

The Chancellors almost needed all of those runs because starting pitcher Joe Guntz struggled despite pitching a five-hitter.

Guntz (2-0) struck out eight but walked nine and hit a batter.

Gregg Wallis and Brian Lee had two hits for Chatsworth.

Mike Grossman hit a three-run homer for Calabasas (3-1-1) and Justin Segal and Randy Curtis each had two hits.

In other Westside games:

Ventura 1, Canyon 0-- Jon Bierly enhanced his reputation as one of the Channel League’s best pitchers by throwing a two-hitter with seven strikeouts for the Cougars (5-0) in the title game of the Red Division at Redondo High.

He was particularly impressive in the final three innings, when he struck out five of 10 batters.

Bierly (2-0) wasn’t in position for the victory until Mike Vizzo drove in Chris Vega with a two-out single to center field in the sixth inning.

Chris Seddon (1-1) of Canyon pitched a five-hitter with eight strikeouts.

Hart 8, Camarillo 6--Mike Miller’s two-run single in the fifth turned out to be the difference in the consolation game at Camarillo.

Miller’s hit gave Hart (4-1) an 8-3 lead, but Camarillo (3-2) scored three runs in the fifth.

Catcher Kevin Brown of Camarillo (3-2) had two hits and threw out three runners attempting to steal.

Moorpark 7, Palisades 3--Kevin Davy hit a three-run home run in the fourth inning and finished with four RBIs for the Musketeers (4-1) at Palisades.

Newbury Park 8, St. Bernard 7--David Hicks hit a game-winning RBI double in the seventh inning, finishing with three RBIs for the Panthers (3-1) at Newbury Park.

Royal 11, Rio Mesa 5--Paul Tinoco’s three-run home run gave the Spartans a 4-3 lead in the fifth inning, but the Highlanders scored seven runs in the bottom of the inning on five hits, two walks and an error at Royal.

Sylmar 10, Saugus 7--Wes Travis had a double, a home run and scored twice for the Centurions (2-2-1) in a loss at Saugus.

Alemany 12, Hueneme 11--Michael Strazzeri hit a game-winning single in the seventh inning and Frank Geraty had four hits for the Indians (2-2-1) at Alemany.