DAILY NEWS INVITATIONAL ROUNDUP: OFFSEASON WORK PAYS OFF AS BAEZA, POLY CRUISE PAST T.O.

Byline: Daily News

Eduardo Baeza did a lot of work in past months to make sure he would be sharp once the high school baseball season began. It has paid off.

Baeza threw a five-inning no-hitter Tuesday, striking out 11 as Poly of Sun Valley (2-1) posted a 10-0 mercy-rule victory over Antelope Valley in a Daily News Invitational game.

It was the second shutout of the season for Baeza (2-0). Last week, in Poly's opener, he allowed just one hit in five innings in a win over Franklin of Los Angeles.

``I played in a scout league during the offseason,'' Baeza said. ``I faced a lot of the better hitters and even some minor-leaguers.''

Baeza, who threw 49 strikes in 66 pitches Tuesday, has allowed one hit and one walk in 10 innings.

Offensively, Miguel Gomez led the Parrots with three hits and five RBI. His last hit, a single to left in the fifth inning, brought in three runs to end the game.

``We've been working hard on hitting the ball on the ground and this is what happens,'' Gomez said. ``In our first two games, we were swinging at too many bad pitches and putting the ball in the air too much.''

Antelope Valley coach Ryan Branch was afraid his team's pitching might be a weakness this season, and against Poly it was. Starting pitcher J.C. Kriesel, who threw a five-inning shutout in the Antelopes' season opener against Wilson of Los Angeles last week, gave up seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in just 3 2/3 innings.

The Parrots broke the game open with three runs in the third inning to go ahead 4-0.

- Nevin Barich 

--Cleveland 4, Highland 1: Mando Contreras, Byron Grubman and Billy Spottiswood hit consecutive doubles for a third-inning run as host Cleveland of Reseda broke a 1-1 tie en route to the victory.

Robert Marcial did not have a hit in the game but reached base three times, twice on errors and once on a fielder's choice. The 5-foot-10 shortstop opened the game by reaching base when Kent Wulf let Marcial's hard ground ball go through his legs. Marcial then stole second and third before scoring on a single by Contreras as the Cavaliers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning.

Defensively, the Cavaliers were led by pitcher Chad Novick, whose four- hit, one-run performance gave Cleveland its third victory in as many games. Novick's complete-game effort included throwing 47 strikes in 73 pitches, striking out two and walking two. Novick delivered a steady supply of low balls which wound up being routine ground balls for his infielders, who threw out 14 of 21 batters.

Third baseman Grubman sparked the infield play, contributing seven assists and starting a 5-4-3 double play in the fifth inning.

Robbie Rico got the lone Highland (2-1) run in the third inning when he scored on a hit-and-run double by Wulf.

Highland played without its offensive catalyst, Tom Sneden, who was ejected from Saturday's game against Burbank. Losing pitcher Derrick Caballero had four strikeouts and a walk. He threw strikes on 65 of his 93 pitches.

Kyle Hefler led the Bulldogs offensively, going 2 for 3. His two-out triple in the fourth inning was of no threat to Novick, who erased the next batter on a comebacker to the mound.

- Julio Cortez

--Calabasas 7, El Camino Real 2: Justin Segal pitched a complete game four-hitter and Kevin Cohn and Matt Green each had two doubles for the winning Coyotes (2-1) at Birmingham High.

Drew Saberhagen broke the game open for Calabasas with a bases-loaded double in the third inning. Green followed with a double to extend the five-run rally.

ECR (1-2) scored one run each in the fourth and fifth innings.

- Heather Gripp

--Granada Hills 6, Notre Dame 3: Ryan Braun had two hits and two RBI to lead visiting Granada Hills (1-2) past the Knights (1-2), who got three hits, including a home run, from Steve Moss.

--Verdugo Hills 10, Quartz Hill 6: Shortstop Dennis Wammack continued his torrid hitting for the winning Dons (2-2), blasting two home runs in a three-hit, five-RBI effort that left him 5 for 10 with 10 RBI in his past two games. Quartz Hill (2-1), which had three homers and two doubles, was outhit 10-8.

--Harvard-Westlake 4, Roosevelt 3: Brennan Boesch carried the host Wolverines (2-1) past the Rough Riders (2-1), stealing home to give his team a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning, then completing a 3-for-4 hitting day with a seventh-inning walk-off home run - his third of the tournament.

--North Hollywood 3, Lancaster 2: Erick Melara went 2 for 3 with a home run took the pitching win for the host Huskies, who won 48 hours after running as a team in the Los Angeles Marathon. Chris Orozco got the save after a North Hollywood relay from right fielder Chris Arvanites to shortstop Edgar Robles to catcher Jesse Zamora retired a sliding Tyler Apuan, attempting to score from second on Justin Zarley's one-out pinch-hit single.

--Birmingham 9, Thousand Oaks 6: Manny Avitia homered and Ryan Silver doubled for the winning Patriots of Van Nuys (3-0), who took a 6-0 lead with a six-run third inning, then scored three runs in the fifth after visiting Thousand Oaks rallied with a five-run fourth.

--Glendale 8, Reseda 6: Brett Searson went 3 for 3, Jose Pompa had two doubles and three RBI and Kevin Hickcox tripled to help the winning Dynamiters (1-2) outlast a 10-hit attack by the visiting Regents (2-1). Anthony Sotelo took the pitching win over Matt Diaz.

--Palmdale 14, Van Nuys 2: Greg Warren went 3 for 4 and Chris Martinez and Mike Smith both went 2 for 3 to lead a 16-hit attack by the winning Falcons (2-1), who got nine strikeouts from winning pitcher Brandon Daily.