A TEAM IN TURMOIL; DOWN 2 PLAYERS, WOODLAND HILLS DROPS GAME.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer Daily News Staff Writer

With its two ineligible players standing helplessly next to the dugout in street clothes, the embattled Woodland Hills Little League team lost to a talented Thousand Oaks team Saturday in the opening game of the sectional tournament.

The Woodland Hills All-Stars, focusing on baseball while trying to tune out the turmoil of the past 24 hours, fell behind early in the game, rallied in the second inning, but ultimately was defeated 11-7.

Time is running out for Woodland Hills, which faces elimination today in a 3 p.m. loser's bracket game against Lompoc in the double-elimination tournament.

Meanwhile, events took an ugly turn in the San Fernando Valley.

Vandals damaged the playing field used by Encino All-Stars - the team Woodland Hills defeated to advance in the tournament.

On Friday, Encino won a protest over the eligibility of two Woodland Hills players but forfeited a scheduled replay of the game - allowing the Woodland Hills team to advance.

Rob Glushon, manager of the Encino team, estimated the damage at more than $3,000. He said vandals broke into the storage shed, stealing equipment and making a mess of the tools and gear used to prepare the ballfield. Also, a baseball field was flooded, graffiti was written on fences, and chalk was dumped on bleachers.

``These are not fields of dreams anymore. They're fields of nightmares,'' said Stu Kramer, whose son Illie played first base for Encino.

On Saturday, while the game was going on in Lompoc, Woodland Hills officials were busy on their cellular phones trying to coordinate the sending of new documents to Little League officials in an attempt to overturn the decision to remove star pitcher Junior Garcia and outfielder Garrett Feig from the team for not living within the district boundaries.

However, Little League spokesman Lance Van Auken said late Saturday: ``As of right now we haven't received anything to lead us to believe the players ineligible should be eligible.''

Van Auken said Little League has not received any proof of legal residency of the two players - such as a parent's driver's license or income tax forms.

Feig's father, Michael, said he sent an affidavit from his landlord detailing how he lived at a residence in the Woodland Hills area from 1993 to 1995.

``But they're not going to overturn it unless we produce more information,'' Michael Feig said.

Meanwhile, Woodland Hills officials were considering filing a protest over the eligibility of Thousand Oaks player Cody Cipriano, who allowed one run and just two hits in 4-1/3 innings of stellar relief pitching Saturday to pick up the victory.

Cipriano played for Woodland Hills until he was 10, then joined the Thousand Oaks team last year.

Both leagues claim Cipriano lives within their boundaries.

Woodland Hills Little League President Geri Szabo said no decision had been made as to whether to file a protest.

During Saturday's game, Garcia was visibly angry as he stood restlessly next to the dugout, alternately cheering, playing with kids and shouting at an opposing coach.

``It's stupid,'' he said of the controversy. ``Just because I spend time with my mom.''

Garcia's mother lives in Van Nuys, while his father resides in Canoga Park.

Woodland Hills shortstop Mando Contreras didn't know if he would go to Lompoc. He has played ball with Garcia since their T-ball days and considered staying home in protest of Garcia's dismissal.

``It hit him hard,'' Contreras' father, Armando, said. ``He asked me last night, `What should I do?' I told him, it's your call; I'll back you 100 percent.''

Contreras made the trip and made several top defensive plays Saturday.

Woodland Hills coach Jim Hock did his best to keep his players' spirits up. ``We don't quit,'' he shouted. ``Keep your heads up. Come on, we got 'em. Pump it up.''

Hock said Thousand Oaks ``beat us in every aspect. We were getting our pitches up and they took advantage.''

Woodland Hills players showed up for the game looking tired.

Some didn't arrive in Lompoc until after 11 p.m. Friday following the chaotic day.

``Sleep helps in baseball,'' said Woodland Hills pitcher Dusty Szabo, who didn't fall asleep until 1:45 a.m. ``Tomorrow is a whole other day. We should be rested, come out and kick butt.''

In Encino, parents already were making changes to prevent further trouble at their playing field.

The organization already has increased security. Glushon said he and some parents will clean up the fields.

``We're going to pick up the pieces and go forward,'' he said.

CAPTION(S):

3 Photos

Photo: (1--color) Woodland Hills shortstop Mando Contreras tags out base runner Bryan Huston from Thousand Oaks.

Michael Owen Baker/Daily News

(2) Ineligible players Junior Garcia, left, and Garrett Feig cheer their team.

(3) Vandals broke into the shed and flooded the Encino All-Stars diamond.

Myung J. Chun/Daily News