May 19, 2006
Senior right-hander Josh Ravin (middle photo) pitched a complete game, and junior center fielder Nick Devian (bottom photo) and sophomore first baseman James Wharton (top photo) back him up with home runs, and the Chancellors defeated Banning, 11-1, Friday at Chatsworth in a Los Angeles City Section Championship Division quarterfinal game called in the sixth inning because of the 10-run rule.
The top-seeded Chancellors (29-2) will play host to No. 12 San Fernando (17-12) in a semifinal game Tuesday at 3 p.m. The Tigers, the third-place team in the Valley Mission League, advanced with a 6-0 victory over No. 4 Roosevelt.
It was the 11th consecutive victory for the Chancellors, who took a 2-0 lead against Banning (21-11) in the first inning. Junior shortstop Mike Moustakas -- who had three hits -- led off with an infield single, junior third baseman Matt Dominguez walked and junior right fielder Bobby Coyle singled to drive in Moustakas. After an out, senior second baseman Oscar Gutierrez drove in Dominguez from third base with a groundout.
Devian led off the third inning with a towering home run to left field, his third this season, for a 3-0 lead and the Chancellors scored three in the fifth after Coyle led off with a double off the left-center-field fence and scored on a single by Gutierrez, who later scored on a single by Wharton.
Ravin (6-1), who gave up four hits and struck out six, cruised until the six inning, when the Pilots scored.
The Chancellors mounted the final rally in the bottom half of the inning when Dominguez led off with a double to right field and, after an out, senior left fielder Oliver Padre walked. Senior catcher Kyle Barbato drove in a run with a two-out single and Devian produced another with a single.
The game was stopped at that point when Chatsworth junior outfielder Phil McManama was hit on the face with a foul ball while standing in the bench. McManama was taken to a hospital for treatment. When play resumed after about 20 minutes, Wharton belted the first pitch, on an 0-and-2 count, high over the net in left-center field for a walkoff three-run home run. It was his third homer this season.
Friday's other quarterfinal results: No. 12 San Fernando 6, at No. 2 Roosevelt 0; at No. 3 Kennedy 5, No. 6 Cleveland 1; at No. 2 El Camino Real 15, No. 7 Palisades 2 (5 innings).
Tuesday's semifinals: San Fernando at Chatsworth, Kennedy (24-10) at El Camino Real (26-5). Both games at 3 p.m. Winners advance to title game May 27 at Dodger Stadium.
Photos by Dave Siegel of David Joseph Studios