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Shane Bogacz of El Camino Real gives a headfirst slide to score the game's only run in the fifth inning of a 1-0 win over Birmingham on Tuesday. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
As the high school baseball regular season comes to an end, Luke Howe of El Camino Real has thrust himself into the competition for best pitcher in the City Section.
One week after throwing a shutout in eight innings against Chatsworth, he came through with a two-hit shutout of Birmingham in a 1-0 victory on Tuesday to deliver El Camino Real's 13th consecutive win in West Valley League play and clinch the league championship. He struck out seven and walked two.
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Luke Howe of El Camino Real threw a two-hit shutout in a 1-0 win over Birmingham. (Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Committed to Long Beach State, Howe was repeatedly getting called third strikes with a slider that Birmingham hitters could never figure out whether to take or swing.
The only run of the game came in the bottom of the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly from Jackson Sellz that allowed Shane Bogacz to make a headfirst slide at the plate to beat the throw.
Once again, Birmingham failed to win a league title in the 19th season for coach Matt Mowry but is in perfect position to win a sixth City title under Mowry. Kevin Olmos struck out four in six innings and will team with freshman Carlos Acuna to give the Patriots the needed one-two pitching duo to try to make it to Dodger Stadium on May 24.
El Camino Real, a nine-time City champion, will be the likely No. 1 seed when pairings are announced Saturday, and Howe is reminiscent of the great ECR pitchers from the past who led the team to championships, such as Randy Wolf, Kirk Birkins, Jose Cardona and Matt Malconian.
Coach Josh Lienhard, who won his 300th game earlier this season, has seniors Howe and Devin Gonor tested on the mound. The team has been winning close games with clutch contributions, whether on hits, bunts or fielding plays.
There will be an eight-team Open Division, and the challenge for El Camino Real and Birmingham might be having to face fellow West Valley League teams in the opening rounds. The likely teams headed to the Open Division include Venice, Sun Valley Poly, Sylmar, Banning, Cleveland and Chatsworth.
Whatever happens, it would not be a surprise to see El Camino Real and Birmingham meet again for the championship at Dodger Stadium.
In other action on Tuesday, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame claimed third place in the Mission League with a 5-1 win over St. Francis. Dominic Cadiz and Dru Wilson hit home runs.
The Garden Grove Pacifica softball team won the Crestview League championship even though it lost to Cypress 1-0.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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