HS BASE: ECR clinches share of league title for first time since '02

El Camino Real High of Woodland Hills clinched at least a share of the West Valley League baseball title today for the first time since 2002, defeating rival Chatsworth 8-3 on a sweltering day at El Camino Real.

Jose Cardona, a junior right-hander, used an effective sinking fastball to keep three-time City Section champion Chatsworth off-balance, pitching a complete game while allowing three earned runs on six hits and four walks with four strikeouts.

"I knew it was hot out here but I came in with a job to do - to pump strikes and come out on top," said Cardona (8-1), who threw 108 pitches. "It's taken a little while, but we're right where we should be."

The teams meet again Thursday at 3 p.m. at Chatsworth. A win by El Camino Real (15-10, 9-0) would give the Conquistadores the title outright. If Chatsworth (21-4, 7-1) wins the rematch, the Chancellors must then take care of business in a make-up game Tuesday at Granada Hills to preserve a share of the title.

"Chatsworth is going to be even more hungry on Thursday, so we've got to go out and play our game," Cardona said.

A win Thursday - by either team, but especially El Camino Real - would all but guarantee the No. 1 seed in the City Section playoffs.

"I don't want to share the title. I want the whole thing," El Camino Real coach Josh Leinhard said. "It's a very important game on Thursday.

With El Camino Real nursing a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, the Conquistadores rallied for six runs, including consecutive bases-loaded walks followed by Mitch Bluman's grand-slam home run.

Bluman was 3 for 4 with a home run, double and five RBIs. Ivan Vela added two hits and a run-scoring walk, and Chris Nicolson contributed a second-inning home run.

Bluman has eight home runs and 35 RBIs, and he is also 5-2 as a pitcher with his next start scheduled for the rematch.

"This is what we've been waiting for the whole season," Bluman said. "The game Thursday means even more. We want to win it and be the No. 1 seed, so that way the road to Dodger Stadium (for the City final) goes through us."

The win was El Camino Real's sixth in a row, snapping Chatsworth's winning streak at 17 games.

Both teams played errorless defense.

In the fourth inning, Chatsworth Aaron Brown hit a deep home run that cleared the highest tree beyond the wall in left-center field. The Chancellors added two runs in the seventh on Ryan Escobar's run-scoring walk and Justin Davis' RBI single.

Brown, Chatsworth's ace pitcher, pitched one-plus innings of relief and took the loss.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

WEST VALLEY

El Camino Real 8, Chatsworth 3

Chats 000 100 2 - 3-6-0
ECR 010 016 x - 8-6-0
Rodriguez, Brown (5), Voetz (6)
and O'Connell; Cardona and Whitner.
W-Cardona (8-1); L-Brown. HR-ECR: Bluman (8), Nicholson;
C: Brown. 2B-ECR:Bluman.
R: C 21-4, 7-1; ECR 15-10, 9-0.