BASEBALL NOTEBOOK: HARD TO GET READ ON THIS SCRIPTURE.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Saugus High catcher Mike Scripture could be one of the best local high school baseball players no one knows. Eligibility problems have kept the senior from playing at the high school level until this year as he's transferred from Alemany of Mission Hills to Valencia and now to Saugus. But the way he's playing, Scripture's anonymity won't last long.

Scripture, a switch hitter, has a team-high 10 RBI, including five RBI in a game Saturday in which he hit a grand slam. Scripture is 5 for 8 during the Centurions' 3-0 start.

``He's kind of a sleeper,'' Saugus coach Casey Burrill said. ``Nobody knows what to expect from him. We are very impressed. We like what we've seen.''

--What a relief: Valencia considered using senior left-hander Garrett Rieck as a starter this season after he went 7-0 as a reliever last year. But the Vikings decided it was better not to ruin a good thing and are leaving Rieck in the bullpen.

``He's qualified to do that,'' Valencia coach Jared Snyder said. ``That's what's good for him. We're lucky to have a kid that's willing to do that.''

--Scorpions getting stung: Camarillo dropped to 0-3 with Tuesday's 11-4 loss to Chatsworth, but the defending Southern Section Div. I champion is not panicking yet.

``Game one, they were in shock,'' Camarillo coach Scott Cline said. ``The second game they were upset. I wasn't angry (Tuesday). We played a better team. They just flat out beat us. Against a normal team we would have been OK.

``I think it's good we got our butts kicked. It shows them how hard they have to work to win.''

Cline anticipated an adjustment period.

``It's a new team,'' he said. ``People need to remember that. These guys just need some time. Every year we have so much success, people expect us to be at that level all the time. I guess that's good. But we lost 30 wins on the mound from last year. ... These guys'll come around. And I do have the No. 1 player in the country coming back.''

Cline doesn't expect Delmon Young to return from an ankle injury until April, but the Scorpions were pleased to get two other starters back Tuesday.

--Full of contenders: El Camino Real of Woodland Hills and defending tournament champion Cleveland of Reseda are the only remaining undefeated City teams in the Daily News Invitational, which pits the top City and Southern Section representatives against each other in Saturday's final at Birmingham High in Lake Balboa.

But several contenders remain on the Southern Section side. Highland of Palmdale, Simi Valley, Agoura and Thousand Oaks are undefeated entering today's final round of preliminary games. Quartz Hill was in that group but was forced to forfeit its opening victory over Poly due to an ineligible player.

In the strength-of-schedule, tie-breaking point system based on number of fewest runs allowed, minus victories by opponents, Highland has the advantage. The Bulldogs, who face Birmingham today, have not allowed a run.

--As good as advertised: Marmonte League play begins next week and it appears those in the league were right about the potential of a race just as tight as last year's, which ended with the top six teams finishing within one game of each other.

Five of the league's teams are in the Daily News Invitational, with Agoura, Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks undefeated, and Westlake and Calabasas losing once to top City teams. Moorpark is 3-0 in the Westside tournament.

``I think this league is so competitive everyone has a chance to win,'' Agoura coach Zach Miller said. ``I compare it to driving. You gamble on when the traffic's going to be bad on the 405 and 101. There's never really a good time, you know there's going to be traffic.''

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Daniel Lee, left, has helped El Camino Real remain undefeated.

Joel P. Lugavere/Special to the Daily News