Junior third baseman Matt Dominguez hit a one-out grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning (top photo) to lift the Chancellors over the Conquistadores, 9-5, Thursday in a West Valley League game at Chatsworth.

 

Three innings earlier, senior second baseman Oscar Gutierrez had put the Chancellors ahead, 4-2, with a three-run drive over the net in left field (middle photo). The homer, on a full-count fastball, was the first of Gutierrez's career.

 

Gutierrez had tied the score, 5-5, with a single in the seventh inning that drove in Dominguez from third base.

 

Chatsworth (19-2 overall, 7-1 in league) pulled even in the league standings with the Conquistadores (16-4, 7-1). The teams meet in the rubber game May 9 at El Camino Real.

 

The game Thursday will be televised Friday at 8:30 p.m. on LA36 and Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. It will be televised on KLCS on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. Consult your cable company for the correct channel.

 

The Chancellors took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk to freshman first baseman Andy Weissberg. El Camino Real went ahead, 2-1, with a run each in the fourth and fifth innings and, after Gutierrez's homer put Chatsworth ahead, 4-2, the Conquistadores scored three times in the seventh inning for a 5-4 lead.

 

Sophomore first baseman James Wharton started the eighth-inning rally with a one-out triple to left-center field (bottom photo). Junior right fielder Phil McManama followed with a walk and junior shortstop Mike Moustakas was hit by a pitch to set up the table for the slam.

 

Dominguez worked 1-1/3 innings in relief in his varsity pitching debut to earn the victory. The grand slam was his second this year and it was his sixth homer, giving him 24 and a tie with brother Jason for the school career lead.

 

There were nine pitchers used in the 4-hour, 15-minute game, six by the Chancellors.

 

Chatsworth plays host to L.A. University at 11 a.m. Saturday in a Chatsworth tournament game.