Wednesday, May 23, 2007
The top-seeded Chancellors rode the strength of five home runs to defeat No. 16 Garfield, 13-1, today in a Los Angeles City Section first-round playoff game at Chatsworth that ended after 4-1/2 innings because of the 10-run rule.
Chatsworth (27-4) will put a 14-game winning streak on the line when it plays host to West Valley League rival El Camino Real (18-13) in a quarterfinal game Friday at 3 p.m. The No. 9 Conquistadores advanced with a 14-1 victory over No. 8 Poly.
It was the 26th consecutive first-round playoff victory for the Chancellors, who are seeking their fifth appearance in a row in a City final.
The Chancellors got on the board quickly when senior third baseman Matt Dominguez singled to center field with one out in the first inning and senior shortstop Mike Moustakas followed with a home run to right field.
Garfield (18-14) cut the deficit to 2-1 in the second inning, but sophomore catcher Carlos Escobar Jr. led off the bottom half of the inning with a high drive into the net in left field for his fourth home run this season. Junior pitcher James Wharton doubled with one out and senior center fielder Nick Devian drove him in with a double to left-center field. Dominguez followed with a run-scoring single to left field to put Chatsworth ahead, 5-1.
Chatsworth opened the lead to 7-1 with two runs in the third inning, both scoring on groundouts, and to 9-1 with two runs in the fourth inning on consecutive home runs by Dominguez and Moustakas. It was Dominguez’s 12th this season and 40th of his career, and it was Moustakas’ 24th this season and 52nd of his career, both state records.
The Chancellors ended the game in the fifth inning when Wharton led off with a double and, two outs later, Dominguez was hit by a pitch and Moustakas walked before senior right fielder Bobby Coyle hit a home run, his 13th this season and 21st of his career.
Chatsworth extended its school record for home runs to 71, four shy of the state single-season record shared by Chula Vista Eastlake in 1999 (30 games) and San Diego Rancho Bernardo in 2000 (33 games).
Dominguez finished three for three, Wharton was two for two, Moustakas was two for three and Escobar was two for three. Junior left fielder Matt Moreno and sophomore designated hitter Andy Weissberg each had a hit for the Chancellors.
Wharton (9-1) struck out three and walked one for his third complete game this season.
In other playoff results: at No. 5 Roosevelt 3, No. 12 Franklin 0; at No. 4 Palisades 2, No. 13 Sylmar 0; No. 14 Bell 6, at No. 3 Narbonne 1; at No. 6 Cleveland 10, No. 11 Banning 0; at No. 7 San Fernando 2, No. 10 San Pedro 1 (10 innings); at No. 2 Kennedy 6, No. 15 Birmingham 1.
JV: The Chancellors (20-5-1) play host to Poly on Thursday at 3 p.m. in a quarterfinal playoff game.
The Chancellors JV defeated host Eagle Rock, 3-0, Tuesday in a first-round playoff game at Yosemite Park behind the combined pitching of Andrew Klausmeier and Cameron Milstein, with catcher Sean O'Connell contributing a single and a double and pinch-hitter Mark Felshaw collecting a single and stealing a base.
Photos, from top:
Bobby Coyle hits a walk-off grand slam for the Chancellors.
Matt Dominguez, who also homered, singles in the first inning.
Carlos Escobar Jr. knocks a pitch over the fence in the second inning.
Mike Moustakas hits one of his two home runs.
Prints can be purchased through the website