What a Relief Chatsworth Gets From Wold, 16-9

CHATSWORTH — It took power to beat power Tuesday at Chatsworth High, where the Chancellors outslugged Reseda, 16-9, in a City Section 4-A Division baseball playoff opener.

Second-seeded Chatsworth (19-8) needed a six-run sixth inning and gutsy relief pitching by Greg Wold to hold off the Regents (12-12) in a slugfest that included 28 hits, 11 for extra bases.

Wold moved from second base to pitcher in the sixth inning, relieving Ismael Marin (10-0), and got the final two outs to end a seven-run rally that cut Chatsworth’s lead to 10-9.

Wold, scheduled to start Thursday in a quarterfinal game against Cleveland at Chatsworth, retired Jose Alamilla on a fly ball with the tying run at third in the sixth.

In the seventh, Wold struck out two while retiring the side in order to notch his fourth save, most among City players in the region.

“That’s been my job,” Wold said. “Come in and stop the bleeding.”

In the bottom of the sixth, Tom Morefield hit a three-run double that allowed Wold and the Chancellors to breathe easier.

Morefield and Wold hit two-run home runs in the first inning to give the Chancellors a 4-2 lead. Wold had two hits and drove in three runs.

“[Wold has] really done a tremendous job for us,” Chatsworth Coach Tom Meusborn said.

Tim Weigand, Nathan Frost, Danny Eisenberg and Frank Dipoma all had doubles for Chatsworth, and Bryan Gant had a run-scoring triple. The Chancellors had 15 hits.

The offense was needed, considering Reseda’s rally.

“I was a little worried,” Marin said. “But I knew my offense could come back.”

Marin, who has won all 10 of his starts this season, coasted through five innings despite giving up seven hits and a pair of unearned runs. He struck out two and walked none.

In the sixth, the Regents chased the junior right-hander with five singles to pull to within 10-8. Oscar Cardona had a two-run single.

Wold entered and hit Alfredo Saenz, who entered the game with a .640 batting average, highest among area players. Saenz had two doubles and a single.

Wold allowed an unearned run before picking off Tony Chavez at first for the second out of the inning.

Reseda right-hander Travis Rutter (6-6) was chased in the fourth inning, when Chatsworth scored four runs to extend its lead to 10-2. Weigand followed Gant’s triple with a double and Rutter was replaced by Leo Rosales.