WOODLAND HILLS — The Birmingham baseball team handed El Camino Real a hefty 9-0 loss to begin the West Valley League season.
Thursday afternoon, as a heat wave encroached on the San Fernando Valley, the Royals finished off their redemption tour with a 2-0 win to complete the week’s two-game sweep of the Patriots.
“We didn’t lose a league game after we lost the first game to them because we wanted payback,” Royals utility player Luke Howe said. “We wanted our payback, and we got it.”
El Camino Real (20-8 overall, 14-2 West Valley League) had secured the West Valley League championship on Tuesday with a 1-0 shutout of Birmingham — the reigning L.A. City Section Open Division runner-up — and hadn’t lost a league game since the opener.
@haleymsawyerEl Camino Real baseball beat Birmingham 2-0 on Thursday afternoon to complete the series sweep over Patriots and end the season with a West Valley League championship. #sports #reporter #sportsreporter #highschoolsports #baseball #highschoolbaseball #woodlandhills
♬ Why Would I Stop? – Big Sean
Birmingham (17-11, 11-4) was unbeaten in league play until it dropped two games to Granada Hills Charter prior to losing to El Camino Real.
The Royals and Birmingham will likely be placed in the CIF L.A. City Section Open Division and will learn their first-round opponent when pairings are released by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
El Camino Real pitcher Devin Gonor, a second-year ace, threw his second complete game of the season Thursday and gave up just four hits in the win.
“For me, it’s just not being intimidated,” Gonor said. “Knowing that my stuff is good and better than the hitter, and knowing that it takes a lot. But just knowing that you’re better and having good confidence is the big thing.”
Howe, who bats third in the lineup, had two hits and two runs in the game. He doubled in the second inning, then Julius Haim drove him in with a single. Howe chopped a single to third base in the fourth inning and Vince Venia moved him over with another single.
Branden Adams singled to plate the second and final run of the day.
“I’ll take 10 singles if that means we’re scoring five runs,” Royals head coach Josh Lienhard said. “We only have probably seven extra bases on the year. It’s a lot of singles, which I’m fine with.”
The Royals have steadily worked to improve their hitting this season while creating team camaraderie at the same time. In addition to hitting at practice, they cycled through hitting at players’ homes. Whoever had a cage in their yard was where the Royals went.
“We’d have a good time and just sit around, hit,” Howe said. “Get our work in, but also still have fun as a team.
“Everyone loves playing, and that’s what really helps us build into being a good team. If you don’t want to show up, then you shouldn’t be here. Everyone shows up every day and gives their all is really important.”
El Camino Real is now going for its first City Section championship since 2016 and its first championship appearance since 2021.
“We have a lot of seniors and we’ve known that this was going to be a very good year,” Gonor said. “We had a very good position to win a title and to win a ring. First step’s there — we got the title. Now the big part is the ring.”
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