Baseball: Teams are still chasing Chatsworth
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This was supposed to be the season nine-time champion Chatsworth was vulnerable in the City Section, but the Chancellors (15-3, 4-0) keep winning even though the games are close.
It looks like the top four seeds for the Division I playoffs won’t be decided until the final week of league play because that’s when Chatsworth faces Woodland Hills El Camino Real and Wilmington Banning takes on San Pedro. The winner of those two series should receive the No. 1 and 2 seeds. Chatsworth beat Banning, 1-0, earlier this season.
One development in the Marine League is the improvement of Gardena under Coach Chad Nammack, who used to coach at South Torrance and El Camino College. Gardena was 7-17 last season but is 8-5 this season and beat San Pedro this past week.
Two schools making progress are Bell (16-4) and Arleta (15-4). Bell should win the Eastern League and Arleta is favored to win the East Valley League. Arleta plays El Camino Real in a tournament game Saturday, but the Conquistadores don’t have a top pitcher left while Arleta has its No. 1 pitcher, Javy Lopez, available.
Fremont (13-4, 6-0) is in first place in the Coliseum League thanks to an 8-7 victory over Crenshaw this month, but those two schools meet in their final league game next month to decide the league title.
San Fernando, Sylmar and Kennedy are battling it out for the Valley Mission League title. San Fernando received a boost when Chatsworth transfer David Lira, a pitcher, became eligible. Kennedy, with victories over Chatsworth and El Camino Real, has been inconsistent.
So, in other words, the status quo is present. Chatsworth remains the team to beat in Division I. Division II is wide open.
UPDATE: Arleta defeated El Camino Real, 4-3, on Saturday, with Javy Lopez throwing a complete game and Robert DeSantiago getting a two-run double. Mitch Bluman hit a three-run home run for El Camino Real. Chatsworth defeated Calabasas, 7-2. Jeff Bezjian had three hits.
-- Eric Sondheimer