As the highschool baseball common season involves an finish, Luke Howe of El Camino Actual has thrust himself into the competitors for finest pitcher within the Metropolis Part.
One week after throwing a shutout in eight innings towards Chatsworth, he got here by way of with a two-hit shutout of Birmingham in a 1-0 victory on Tuesday to ship El Camino Actual’s thirteenth consecutive win in West Valley League play and clinch the league championship. He struck out seven and walked two.
Luke Howe of El Camino Actual threw a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Birmingham.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Occasions)
Dedicated to Lengthy Seashore State, Howe was repeatedly getting referred to as third strikes with a slider that Birmingham hitters might by no means work out whether or not to take or swing.
Lengthy Seashore State commit is on fireplace. Two-hit shutout in 1-0 win over Birmingham clinches West Valley title for ECR. He threw 8-inning shutout final week vs. Chatsworth. Luke Howe. pic.twitter.com/zGcckRo76B
— eric sondheimer (@latsondheimer) Might 7, 2025
The one run of the sport got here within the backside of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Jackson Sellz that allowed Shane Bogacz to make a headfirst slide on the plate to beat the throw.
As soon as once more, Birmingham didn’t win a league title within the nineteenth season for coach Matt Mowry however is in good place to win a sixth Metropolis title beneath Mowry. Kevin Olmos struck out 4 in six innings and can crew with freshman Carlos Acuna to present the Patriots the wanted one-two pitching duo to attempt to make it to Dodger Stadium on Might 24.
El Camino Actual, a nine-time Metropolis champion, would be the possible No. 1 seed when pairings are introduced Saturday, and Howe is harking back to the nice ECR pitchers from the previous who led the crew to championships, equivalent to Randy Wolf, Kirk Birkins, Jose Cardona and Matt Malconian.
Coach Josh Lienhard, who gained his three hundredth recreation earlier this season, has seniors Howe and Devin Gonor examined on the mound. The crew has been successful shut video games with clutch contributions, whether or not on hits, bunts or fielding performs.
There will likely be an eight-team Open Division, and the problem for El Camino Actual and Birmingham is likely to be having to face fellow West Valley League groups within the opening rounds. The possible groups headed to the Open Division embody Venice, Solar Valley Poly, Sylmar, Banning, Cleveland and Chatsworth.
No matter occurs, it will not be a shock to see El Camino Actual and Birmingham meet once more for the championship at Dodger Stadium.
In different motion on Tuesday, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame claimed third place within the Mission League with a 5-1 win over St. Francis. Dominic Cadiz and Dru Wilson hit dwelling runs.
The Backyard Grove Pacifica softball crew gained the Crestview League championship although it misplaced to Cypress 1-0.
