MOUSTAKAS IS HEAD OF STATE IN HRS SENIOR HITS 22ND HOMER, A SINGLE-SEASON RECORD CHATSWORTH 16, CLEVELAND 3.

Byline: HEATHER GRIPP

Staff Writer

It's not often that $100 is paid for a ball hit by a high school baseball player. Then again, there aren't many high school players like Mike Moustakas.

Moustakas cemented his status as the state's premier slugger when the Chatsworth High senior shortstop belted his 22nd home run of the season in the third inning of Tuesday's 16-3 victory over host Cleveland of Reseda, breaking the California prep single- season home run record.

Moustakas broke the state career home run record a week ago and remains on a hot streak that has seen him homer five times in his past fourgames, increasing his career home run total to 50.

The desire to see one of Moustakas' powerful blasts up close made the area beyond right field a popular spot for spectators Tuesday. The left- handed hitting Moustakas gave them what they wanted in his second at-bat.

"It felt good to get it off my shoulders," said Moustakas, who said he knew the ball would go out as soon as he connected with the fastball from Cleveland starter Cesar Luna.

Chatsworth coach Tom Meusborn, whose team begins playoffs next week, said: "Hopefully he's got a few more left in him."

The record seemed to mean more to others than to Moustakas, who showed little emotion after his historic shot and said he though it was "crazy" when he was told that the kids who retrieved his home run ball received $100 from another fan for the ball, which was later given to Moustakas' family.

'I'm just out here trying to win ball games," Moustakas said. 'I'm not trying to set records."

The victory was the 13th in a row for Chatsworth (26-4, 15-0), which finished West Valley League play undefeated for the fifth time.

Matt Dominguez and Carlos Escobar also contributed home runs as every Chatsworth starter reached base at least once in the five-inning, mercy- rule shortened contest.

Moustakas finished 4 for 4 with two doubles and fiveRBIs. In other words, just a typical game for the player who has signed with USC and is expected to be a first-round pick in next month's MLB draft.

"That's what he does all the time" Escobar said. "We don't talk about the records at all. It's not a big deal to us. We focus on the team and getting ready for playoffs."

The Chancellors, who are expected to be the top seed for a fifth consecutive year when postseason pairings are determined Saturday, will begin the playoffs next Wednesday at home.

The next record within Moustakas' reach is the school single-season RBI mark of 65. He has 56 RBIs to go along with his 51 hits and team-high .571 batting average.

As he's done since he started breaking school hitting records as a sophomore, Moustakas deferred credit to his teammates.

"Seeing Matt Dominguez hit one out in the first inning, that picks you up and gets you started," Moustakas said. "They can't pitch around anyone in this lineup, so it makes my job a lot easier."

Dominguez and Nick Devian both had two hits and threeRBIs. Escobar was 2 for 2 with two RBIs. Moustakas had two hits in the third inning alone, doubling in his second at-bat of Chatsworth's eight- run inning.

Senior right-hander Trent Jones (13-0) struck out five for the Chancellors.

Cleveland (23-8, 11-4) was led by Mickey Brodsky and Robert Almendarez, who had two hits apiece.

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2 photos

Photo:

(1) Chatsworth's Mike Moustakas watches his 22nd home run of the season, breaking the state single-season record.

Tom Mendoza/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) MOUSTAKAS