Senior first baseman James Wharton’s two-run home run staked the host Chancellors to a first-inning lead, senior right-hander Trevor Takeyama went the distance and Chatsworth defeated Cleveland, 5-2, today in the first game of a West Valley League home-and-home series.

 

The first-place Chancellors (16-4 overall, 6-1 in WVL play) took a one-game lead over the Cavaliers (17-4-1, 5-2). The teams meet at Cleveland on Friday at 3 p.m.

 

Takeyama (7-1) struck out four batters and scattered nine hits to help the Chancellors beat the Cavaliers for the second time this season and the 18th consecutive time dating to 2002.

 

The Chancellors got on the board quickly, with senior second baseman Matt Moreno drawing a walk and Wharton delivering his home run. They added a run in the third inning when Wharton led off with a walk and scored on a single by sophomore designated hitter Derek Neely.

 

Doubles by junior third baseman Ryan Cooperstone and junior right fielder Andy Weissberg produced a run for the Chancellors in the fifth inning and Wharton drove in junior shortstop Kasey Toven, who had walked ahead of a single by Moreno, with a two-out single in the sixth inning.

 

The game will be televised by KLCS Channel 36 on Friday at 8 p.m. with Randy Rosenbloom doing the play by play and Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times doing the color commentary.

 

JV: The Chancellors scored four runs in the seventh inning to beat host Cleveland, 5-4.

 

Freshman left-hander David Lira picked up the victory, sophomore infielder Jeff Bezjian had a two-run single, freshman Brady Conlan had a run-scoring pinch-hit, sophomore infielder Ryan Wittler finished with two hits and sophomore catcher Sean O’Connell had a double.

 

 

Photo by Dave Siegel