BASEBALL BEAT THE MVPS.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Art Ortiz and Phil Avlas recently had the opportunity to select the Easton bat of their choice for being named the MVPs of last month's Daily News Invitational.

Chaminade of West Hills junior Bobby Paschal was selected the tournament's most valuable pitcher.

Avlas helped lead Kennedy of Granada Hills to the tournament championship by batting .600, including three doubles, a home run and 8 RBI in five games. The senior catcher also threw out six runners. He appeared in relief in the championship game and retired the only two batters he faced.

Ortiz, who remains one of the region's hottest hitters, gave Lancaster its first appearance in a final by batting .500 with 11 RBI and a 1.313 slugging percentage. The senior outfielder hit four home runs, including two three-run shots in a victory over Burbank.

Paschal had two dominant wins and did not allow an earned run. In the opener against El Camino Real of Woodland Hills, the left-hander outdueled Greg Achateal by striking out seven and giving up two hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 1-0 victory. Against Birmingham, Paschal had 13 strikeouts in a complete game.

NO SLIM IMPROVEMENT

In the offseason, Grant of Van Nuys' Moises Saldivar began a weight-reduction regimen that helped the pitcher-first baseman drop 65 pounds off his 310-pound weight last season.

The weight loss came in part from a combination of selective nutritional foods, including mostly vegetables and chicken, taking dietary supplement pills and a lot of jogging.

``I want to lose a lot of weight and then I am going to start working out harder so I can get all cut-up,'' said Saldivar, who also credited the weight loss to playing on Grant's football team last fall when he earned a Sunset Six first-team selection. ``I have been big all my life. It was something that I wanted to do for a long time. It feels great.''

The slimmer 6-foot senior has shown many signs of improvement. He has been quicker out of the batters' box and has been sharper off the pitching mound on ground balls according to coach Jeremy Lawrence - who himself has lost 50 pounds.

In a game against Birmingham of Van Nuys this season, Saldivar looked agile coming off the mound as he rushed to the third-base line before coming close to catching a bunt attempt.

``As hard-nosed as he is, he would have tried to dive (at the bunted ball) even if he was still bigger,'' Lawrence said. ``But if he was bigger, he wouldn't have come that close to it. And probably dislocated his shoulder for pounding all that weight on himself.''

TOURNAMENT TIME

Several teams have spring break next week, but there are plenty of tournaments to keep them busy.

Las Vegas is among the most popular destinations. Some games begin Monday and the other half of the Bishop Gorman tournament starts Thursday.

Locally, there is the Babe Herman tournament hosted by Crescenta Valley. The 12-team event begins Saturday at Stengel Field and Glendale High, with Calabasas, Crescenta Valley, El Camino Real of Woodland Hills, Glendale, Hoover of Glendale, Saugus and Valencia being the local representatives. The championship game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Stengel Field.

The Birmingham Spring Break Classic, consisting of eight City teams, began last week and resumes today. Games continue through Tuesday at Birmingham High of Van Nuys.

Chew on this

Verdugo Hills' Wes Tom credited his first home run of the season to a piece of gum given to him minutes before the at-bat by catcher Kyle Kurtz's father, Kenny.

``Hey Kenny!,'' Tom shouted to the bleachers from the dugout after being congratulated by his teammates for the dinger that broke a 1-1 tie in an early-season victory over Verdugo Hills. ``(The home run) was due to the gum, thanks.''

The elder Kurtz has made a tradition of awarding a piece of Bazooka Joe Bubble Gum - ``the big chew'' as pitcher Ray Villasenor's father, Ray Sr., calls the gum - to players who have done a good job.

``I have been doing this for 12 years,'' Kenny Kurtz said. ``Almost all the players on this team have been playing together all of their lives. They were teammates at Sunland-Tujunga Little League. It's just a way for me to give them a reward for doing good.''

Alumni wanted

Former baseball all-stars are invited to play in an alumni game in association with the 25th Daily News Bernie Milligan All-Star Game. Anyone on a previous Milligan Game roster is eligible for the June 9 game. To register, call [phone].

LEAGUE UPDATES

FOOTHILL

Canyon senior Chris Seddon's hard-luck season hasn't been helped by a sore hamstring. The injury has affected his delivery and caused him to miss a start last week, but he is expected to be ready to start today against Burbank.

The Cowboys aren't as lucky when it comes to their offense, though. Junior Ryan Phipho, who was leading the team with a .484 average, was declared academically ineligible last week and is likely out for the season. Jesse Blunt and Carlos Sanchez have shared time filling the vacant spot in the outfield, but Ryan Hawkins and Keith Leduc have been left carrying the offense.

MARMONTE

Trying to steal bases against Royal of Simi Valley hasn't been easy this season. Aiding first-year starting catcher Danny Lemos' quest to keep the bases clear is a pitching staff that has been more effective than usual at picking off runners. All the rain that kept Royal from using its field at the beginning of the season gets some credit for the improvement.

``The pitchers had all that time in the parking lot with nothing else to do but throw,'' Highlanders coach Dan Maye said. ``They didn't have to worry about going over to work on their hitting or anything else afterward. They had a lot of time to work on throwing to the bases and I guess it's paid off.''

PACIFIC VIEW

Camarillo senior left-hander Thomas Wilson went 10-0 as a freshman - six wins on the junior varsity and four on varsity - but entered this season not having won a game since. But he has been effective this season and is helping a staff that is trying to rest Delmon Young's arm.

Wilson only throws in the mid-80s, but has what coach Scott Cline calls ``a great slider.'' Wilson began his sophomore year as the No. 1 starter but quickly lost the job. He did not even make the team last year. His first win this season came against Canyon.

WEST VALLEY

Chatsworth has so many strengths that sometimes they don't all get the credit they deserve. Although the pitching staff has dominated and several hitters have taken turns carrying the offense, Ryan Barba has quietly gone about his job of anchoring the infield while making the transition from third base to shortstop.

``That's been a big key for us,'' Chancellors coach Tom Meusborn said.

Barba started at shortstop on the freshman team and was expected to play shortstop on junior varsity the following year, but when the returning varsity third baseman opted not to play, Barba was asked to fill the hole. The graduation of All-City shortstop Matt Fisher allowed Barba to return to his old position and form one of the area's best double-play combinations with second baseman Gregg Wallis.

DELPHIC

Montclair Prep doesn't have to look much further than sophomore Kevin Pollack for clutch performances. The left-hander is one of the team's top pitchers as well as a leading hitter. In a recent game, Pollack (4-2) had 9 RBI, including two home runs and a double, and earned the win as a pitcher.

DAILY NEWS TOP 10

1. Chatsworth 14-0

2. Hart 13-0

3. Lancaster 10-2-1

4. Chaminade 9-2

5. Royal 12-2

6. Westlake 11-3

7. Camarillo 11-4

8. San Fernando 12-2

9. Kennedy 11-5

10. Sylmar 8-5

(Records through Wednesday)

SEVEN-DAY FORECAST

Game of the week: Royal at Westlake, at 3 p.m. today. The defending Marmonte League champion Warriors face the team that has won more league titles and reached the playoffs more times than anyone in the league during the past decade. The Highlanders, who settled for third last year, are again contending for a title as they enter today's game with a slim lead over second-place Westlake. The Warriors have the big hitters, but both sides have good pitching.

Potential hero: Crescenta Valley sophomore infielders Aaron McGuiness and Kyle Barrett are two of the area's most consistent hitters. Both entered the week batting .500, and Barrett had an area-best nine doubles. If the pair can continue their hot hitting, the Falcons should be among the favorites at next week's Babe Herman tournament. Among the teams Crescenta Valley faces is defending City finalist El Camino Real on Tuesday.

Potential upset: Valencia has faced Hart 17 times since 1996 and each time the Vikings have lost. Don't count out Valencia, though, when the teams meet again today at Valencia. The Vikings are looking to remain in playoff contention and lost 5-4 to the first-place Indians Tuesday.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1) Daily News Invitational MVPs Art Ortiz, left, of Lancaster and Phil Avlas of Kennedy hold their new Easton bats as they pose with Jim Easton of Easton Sporting Goods in Van Nuys.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(2) Chaminade left-hander Bobby Paschal was named the most valuable pitcher of the Daily News Invitational after not allowing an earned run.

Evan Yee/Staff Photographer

(3) Moises Saldivar of Grant of Van Nuys has lost 65 pounds since last season.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) DAILY NEWS TOP 10 (see text)

(2) SEVEN-DAY FORECAST (see text)