Chiaramonte Lobbyist Gets Support for Cause

Westlake High baseball Coach Dennis Judd is waging an uphill battle, promoting the Warriors’ John Chiaramonte as the best pitcher in the Marmonte League over Simi Valley’s Scott Sharts.

Sharts is unbeaten, averages nearly two strikeouts an inning and beat Chiaramonte in head-to-head competition last week.

But Judd gained a small victory in his battle Wednesday after Chiaramonte allowed just three hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter as Westlake defeated Newbury Park, 4-1, at home.

“Last time we faced Simi, he had the same number of strikeouts, had one more walk and hit a batter,” Judd said. “Given my choice between the two to start a game, I’d start Chiaramonte 10 out of 10 times.”

Chiaramonte, however, is more modest than his coach.

“I just go out and pitch and let people think what they want to think,” Chiaramonte said.

Chiaramonte (3-1) did not allow a hit until the fourth inning when Don Smith singled to center. Newbury Park (7-4, 1-1 in league play) avoided a shutout on Wayne Cook’s fifth-inning home run, his third. Chiaramonte also struck out the side in the second and sixth innings.

“He had real good off-speed stuff,” Newbury Park Coach Gary Fabricius said. “When your off-speed is working that makes your fastball look that much better. We hit a lot of popups. I guess when kids come here into a small park they start swinging for the fences.”

Second baseman Mike Lieberthal was 2 for 3, including a home run, and scored twice for Westlake. Lieberthal, who scored in the third on a Chuck Foster double, hit a two-run home run to left in the fifth off Newbury Park’s Rob Teasdale (2-2) for a 4-1 lead.

Westlake (5-4, 1-1) scored its first run in the second when Craig Cooper scored on Carl Lance’s groundout to shortstop. Cooper had singled and moved to third on Derek Tamburro’s double to right-center field.

“We hit the ball well again,” Judd said. “We got a big hit out of Chuck Foster with two outs and then in the fifth inning we came back for two after they got their run.”