Granada Hills Wins 2-0 with Solid Pitching from Luke Chau in City Section Baseball Roundup
Granada Hills Highlanders Upset Bell in Playoff Opener
Granada Hills baseball coach Matt Matuszak has been balancing personal joy and professional duty as he welcomed his first child, a baby girl, this week. While sleeping on a hospital couch by his wife’s side, Matuszak received further good news: the Highlanders pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory against the No. 3-seed Bell in the opening round of the City Section Open Division baseball playoffs on Wednesday.
In a standout performance, senior left-hander Luke Chau pitched a complete game, allowing only two hits while striking out three and walking one. Chau impressively retired 21 of the first 22 batters he faced, and his infielders played a crucial role in securing the win. Third baseman Landon Tuch, shortstop Caleb Reclusado, second baseman Adriel Merida, and first baseman Max Szczech executed crucial defensive plays, with Reclusado recording seven assists.
The game showcased a fierce matchup between Chau and Bell’s ace Jayden Rojas, who struck out ten batters over seven scoreless innings. However, fatigue set in for Rojas, who reached 96 pitches, forcing Bell to turn to Adolfo Esquivel in the eighth. The Highlanders capitalized on this opportunity, scoring the game’s winning runs from a walk, a single by Tuch, and an RBI single from Nick Penaranda, followed by a successful bunt that secured a second run.
The victory sets up a rematch for Granada Hills against West Valley League rival El Camino Real in the semifinals on Wednesday at Cal State Northridge. The upcoming game is significant for the Highlanders, who faced El Camino Real after losing to Bell 1-0 in last year’s semifinals. Despite past challenges as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, Granada Hills, now a No. 6 seed, demonstrated resilience and skill, much to Matuszak’s delight as he prepared to introduce his wife to their newborn daughter.
In other playoff action, El Camino Real defeated South Gate with an 11-0 mercy-rule victory, fueled by JJ Saffie’s three hits and four RBIs, while Jackson Sellz allowed just one hit in five innings.
In a tight match, Carson edged out Garfield 6-5 with a walk-off double from Xavier Allen. Nate Ruan contributed with an inside-the-park home run, while Luis Acosta’s two-run double kept Garfield competitive.
Sylmar overwhelmed Marshall with a 7-0 victory, as Matthew Torres completed a shutout. Meanwhile, Venice outscored San Fernando 11-8, highlighted by Remy Carpenter’s two hits and four RBIs.
Other notable results included Chatsworth’s 3-0 win over North Hollywood, Taft’s 13-9 triumph against San Pedro, Palisades edging Narbonne 1-0 with a walk-off single, and Cleveland’s dominant 18-0 win against Maywood CES, led by Joshua Pearlstein’s perfect hitting performance.
