Prep sports roundup: Jake Chung is reliever extraordinaire for 3-0 Harvard-Westlake

When Jake Chung comes in from the Harvard-Westlake bullpen ready to unleash his 80 mph, scouts put away their radar guns. He’s like a softball pitcher with a rubber arm capable of pitching every game. He pinpoints his pitches with so much accuracy around the plate that batters are left feeling awkward.

Last season as a sophomore, he closed out the Wolverines’ Division 1 semifinal playoff win over Orange Lutheran. On Tuesday against JSerra, he faced a bases loaded situation with none out in the sixth inning and got a pop out and two strikeouts. Harvard-Westlake won 5-2 to improve to 3-0. Chung has pitched in every game.

“I’m ready to pitch Friday against Santa Margarita,” he said.

Harvard-Westlake starting pitcher Evan Alexander gave up two runs in the first inning on an RBI triple to Jordan Marian and a sacrifice fly, then settled down until the sixth. Sophomore catcher Drew Rico had two hits and an RBI to help rally the Wolverines. James Tronstein had two hits.

Then it was Chung time. “The big thing that helps me is my mentality believing I’m the best out there,” he said.

It also helps to have a pitching coach named Joe Guntz. Harvard-Westlake lost its top three pitchers last season — to pro baseball, Wake Forest and Texas Christian. And yet, the Wolverines have given up only two runs in three games with a group of young pitchers gaining valuable experience for the start of Mission League play in two weeks.

The starting pitchers know that after five innings, they can turn the ball over to Chung with confidence.

Corona 5, Ayala 0: Anthony Murphy led off the game with a home run, Seth Hernandez had a two-run triple and Brady Ebel added two hits for the Panthers (2-0). Ethin Bingaman contributed two hits and struck out seven in four innings of one-hit ball.

Santa Margarita 6, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 5: A hit batter with the bases loaded gave Santa Margarita the comeback victory, capping a four-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Jacob Madrid and Dominic Cadiz hit home runs for Notre Dame.

Corona del Mar 6, Segerstrom 0: Three pitchers combined for the shutout. Vince Menard had two hits and two RBIs.

Loyola 3, Gahr 0: Luca Marucci had two hits and two RBIs for the Cubs. Jack Murray homered.

Sierra Canyon 10, Cypress 2: Dezi Delgado drove in four runs, Kyas Howard had three hits and Sean Parrow struck out four and walked one in six innings for Sierra Canyon.

El Dorado 4, La Habra 3: In a battle of two unbeaten teams, El Dorado prevailed. Brady Abner had two hits and Diego Gonzalez had a two-run double.

Ventura 2, Westlake 0: Wylan Nelson threw a one-hitter with six strikeouts for Ventura.

Garfield 8, Channel Islands 1: Osmar Vargas gave up two hits over five innings for Garfield.

Villa Park 6, Banning 0: Jake Nobles struck out seven with no walks over five innings and also had two hits for unbeaten Villa Park.

Orange Lutheran 4, Arrowhead Christian 2: Wyatt Hanoian homered for the Lancers.

Eastvale Roosevelt 8, Claremont 0: Braden Annett contributed three hits for Roosevelt.

Foothill 4, San Juan Hills 2: Gavin Lauridsen struck out seven in six innings for Foothill.

Norco 6, Arlington 3: Marcus Blanton had four hits to lead the Cougars. Freshman Jordan Ayala added two hits and sophomore Dylan Seward had two RBIs.

Girls soccer

Granada Hills 1, San Pedro 1: The Highlanders advanced to the City Section Open Division final with a win on penalty kicks. Cleveland defeated Palisades 3-1 and will face the Highlanders.

Boys soccer

Birmingham 3, South East 0: The defending Open Division champion Patriots advanced to the City Section Open Division final and will have a rematch with West Valley League rival El Camino Real on Friday at Valley College. El Camino Real and South Gate went scoreless through regulation and overtime before the Royals won on penalty kicks.

Softball

El Camino Real 6, Louisville 0: Remy Glassman struck out eight in four innings for El Camino Real.

Granada Hills 10, Burbank 0: Elysse Diaz had three hits for Granada Hills. Addison Moorman struck out five in two innings of relief.