Verdugo Hills claims City Section Division I baseball title

Verdugo Hills entered the Division I playoffs with a 10-18 record and finished with a 3-1 win over Taft at Dodger Stadium. The Dons won four straight playoff games, including a 10-inning semifinal victory over top-seeded Sylmar that used their two best pitchers. Anthony Velasquez delivered a complete-game one-hitter, depending on defense to convert routine plays while allowing six walks and recording one strikeout. Cutlor Fannon provided key offense with an RBI double in the first inning and an RBI single in the seventh. Late tension came in the seventh when Victor Jara hit a deep drive, caught by Moises Rodriguez to preserve the lead. A crucial sixth-inning conference followed consecutive walks, and Taft was turned into an inning-ending double play. Strong defense included a caught stealing attempt and multiple fly-ball and ground-ball plays.

"Verdugo Hills, the fourth-place finisher in the Valley Mission League with a 10-18 record entering the City Section Division I playoffs, completed a remarkable turnaround on Saturday, winning its fourth consecutive playoff game to take home the Division I title with a 3-1 victory over Taft at Dodger Stadium."

"Anthony Velasquez threw a complete-game one-hitter while relying on his defense to make the routine plays and deal with six walks and only one strikeout. At the plate, the hero was first baseman Cutlor Fannon. He had an RBI double in the first inning and an RBI single in the seventh."

"But there was drama in the bottom of the seventh inning. The Toreadors' Victor Jara represented the tying run at the plate with two outs. He hit probably the hardest ball of the day to deep left field. "The last one scared me," Velasquez said as he watched left-fielder Moises Rodriguez stick out his glove running to catch it and start a victory celebration."

"Espindola's best coaching moment came in the bottom of the sixth inning. Taft drew consecutive walks from Velasquez with one out. Espindola went to the mound for a pitcher conference. "Relax," is what he told Velasquez. Then Taft hit into an inning-ending double play."

Read at Los Angeles Times