Valley Shakes Off Batting Slump, Sends Glendale Reeling

VAN NUYS — Coming off a two-game drought in which it had scored only four runs, Valley College broke out of it Saturday with a 14-6 victory over Glendale in a Western State Conference South Division game at Valley.

Valley (10-15-1, 8-9 in conference play) stayed within shouting distance of division leaders Pierce and Bakersfield, both of which entered Saturday night’s head-to-head contest at Bakersfield with 10-6 records.

Valley got the job done with a 14-hit attack that included five doubles and a home run.

“We had been struggling with the bat,” Coach Chris Johnson said. “We were able to stay calm today when we were down and we didn’t panic. It was nice to see.”

Glendale (10-16-1, 8-8-1) jumped to a 4-0 lead against right-hander Doug Rubin (2-1) with one run in the first and three in the second, including a solo home run by first baseman Robb Turner over the 380-foot sign in left-center field with one out in the second.

But the Monarchs bounced back with three in the bottom of the inning against left-hander John Nall (4-4), sparked by a two-run double by catcher Amani Smith (two for three and four runs)

After scoring two in the third on run-scoring doubles by David Stevenson and Marlon Hamilton, the Monarchs broke open the game with five runs in the fourth on four hits and three errors.

“I want our team, under any circumstances, to keep going, to keep fighting,” Johnson said.

A double by Ed Gillis and an infield hit by Randy Vickers gave Glendale a run in the fourth and the Vaqueros scored another in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Armando Mesa that drove in Steve Mikesell.

Valley chased Nall in the seventh when right fielder Will Skett homered to left with Smith aboard.

Skett, a redshirt freshman from Reseda High, also had a two-run double in the eighth and was four for five with five runs batted in.

Rubin, a converted catcher, settled down after a shaky start and made it into the sixth inning.

Valley second baseman Jorge Dorado was three for six.