Prep baseball: ECR wins first game of series against Birmingham
Since becoming head coach at Birmingham in 2007, Matt Mowry is 0 for 18 when it comes to winning a West Valley League baseball title. He won City five titles, but the Patriots couldn’t figure out how to win a league title.
A showdown against City’s defending champion El Camino Real on Tuesday neither started nor ended well for the Patriots. The Royals (10-3, 4-0) scored five runs in the first inning on six hits and cruised to an 8-3 victory over Birmingham (10-2, 3-1).
The big hits in the first inning were an RBI double by JJ Saffie, a two-run double by Blake Dubin and an RBI single by Ryan Hauptman. For the second straight game, Birmingham pitcher Nathan Soto was unable to get out of the first inning. ECR starter Jackson Sellz, celebrating his 17th birthday, pitched six innings before Hauptman stepped in to get the save. Ryan Glassman, Macai Friedman and Shane Bogacz each had two hits.
Birmingham gets some help starting Friday when transfers Masen Ruiz (Chatsworth), Toni Mendoza (Chatsworth) and Larkin Fleming (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame) become eligible. All of them could become starters. The two teams will play twice again next month.
Fullerton 7, Ocean View 5: Luke Gonzalez hit two doubles to help Fullerton come back from a 5-3 deficit.
Los Alamitos 4, Marina 0: Ryan Deck struck out seven, walked none and allowed two hits in the shutout. Cruz Derrico finished with three hits.
Saint Bernard 5, Mgr Amat 4: Juan Sandoval struck out five in a complete game for St. Bernard.
Newport Beach 9, Edison 0: Gavin Guy struck out six in 5 1/3 innings and also hit a three-run homer.
Santa Margarita 2, Servite 0: Sophomore Tyler George struck out four, walked none and pitched a two-hit shutout. He also hit a home run.
Santa Monica 10, Leuzinger 1: Ryan Breslo had three hits for Santa Monica.
Chênes Christian 5, Newbury Park 2: Luke Puls, Ryan Sheffer and Oliver Dauskurdas each had two hits for Oaks Christian (9-2).
Calabasas 10, Mille Chênes 9: The Coyotes handed Thousand Oaks its first loss after 10 straight wins in a wild Marmonte League opener. The Lancers erased an 8-1 deficit with seven runs in the fifth inning to tie the score. Conner Kingston finished the game with a scoreless seventh for the save. Landon Carson had four RBIs for the Lancers. Michael Morales had three hits for the Coyotes.
West Lake 2, Agoura 1: Jaxson Neckien had two hits for the Warriors.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 10, Crespi 0: Malakye Matsumoto hit a grand slam and pitched two scoreless innings of relief to make Notre Dame 11-0. Beckett Berg pitched five scoreless innings with four strikeouts.
Sierra Canyon 8, Chaminade 2: Isaias Tirado and Aiden Jahng each homered and Armando Solorio pitched four shutout innings.
Saint Francis 6, Mgr Alemany 4: Daniel Izaguirre had three hits for St. Francis in the Mission League victory. Brody Thompson, Chase Stevenson and Alex Noble homered for Alemany.
La Mirada 5, Gahr 1: Jacob Oropeza threw 3 2/3 scoreless relief.
El Modena 3, Villa Park 0: Three pitchers combined for one hit.
Softball
Huntington Beach 17, Fountain Valley 0: Bree Carlson hit three home runs for the Oilers.
Murrieta Mesa 7, Grand Oak 0: Lilly Hauser struck out 13 and also hit a two-run double to lead undefeated Murrieta Mesa.
Chênes Christian 9, Newbury Park 3: Giabella Otani had two hits and three RBIs.
