LOS ANGELES The top-seeded Chancellors (24-5) defeated West Valley League rival
Lake Balboa Birmingham, 4-1, today in a City Section semifinal playoff game at USC's Dedeaux Field.

 

Right-hander Angel Rodriguez (9-1), top, pitched 2-2/3 scoreless innings inrelief of starter Christian Lopez, and Chris Carlin, center, and Kiefer Kofman, bottom, had run-scoring singles in a two-run sixth inning.

 

Chatsworth fell behind, 1-0, in the fourth inning but took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fifth when Ricky Obando and pinch-hitters Ernesto Prado and Justin Vega were hit by pitches in consecutive at-bats to load the bases.

 

Jared Holley drove in Obando with a squeeze bunt and Steven Karkenny drove in Prado with a grounder to third base.

 

The Chancellors will seek a 10th City title Saturday afternoon at Dodger Stadium when they meet San Fernando, a 2-1 winner over El Camino Real in 10 innings in the other semifinal game. Chatsworth is riding a 10-game winning streak in which it has outscored opponents, 91-12.