LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: Conejo Valley triumphs in Southern California state opener

Despite three home runs from La Mirada's R.J. Lan, the Conejo Valley 12-under baseball all-star team posted a 9-6 victory Saturday in its North sub-divisional opener in the Little League Southern California state tournament at Cortez Park in West Covina.

Conejo Valley (7-1) received 4 2/3 strong innings from starter Adam Sookikian, who also collected two hits, a run and an RBI. Blake Campbell homered and Josh Waite added two hits and two runs for Conejo Valley, which plays Monday against the winner of Sunday's game between Encino (8-0) and La Verne (7-0).

La Mirada (8-2), which cut the deficit to 6-5 following the fifth before Conejo Valley scored three insurance runs in the sixth, plays El Segundo (8-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday in an elimination game.