Huskies Pass a Test in Poly Sci

SUN VALLEY — Timely defense and gutsy pitching enabled North Hollywood High to complete a two-game sweep of rival Poly with a 4-1 East Valley League victory Thursday at Poly.

North Hollywood (23-6, 12-3 in Valley Pac-8 Conference play), with victories over Poly (16-12, 11-4) in two of three meetings this season, can clinch at least a share of its first league title in 40 years with a victory Tuesday over Sylmar. North Hollywood and Sylmar have split two games this season.

Lanky senior right-hander Merrill Dunn (8-2) pitched a six-hitter, all singles, and worked out of several jams thanks to a defense that turned two double plays and committed only one error.

Shortstop Jerrit Redlich had five assists, including a pair of flashy plays that snuffed a Parrot rally in the sixth inning.

Redlich went deep to the hole to spear Gus Banuelos’ hard grounder and relayed to second baseman Ismael Rangsiyawong in time to retire Sal Trujllo.

Two batters later, Redlich made a diving stop up the middle and threw to first in time to retire Juan Flores.

With one out and a runner at first in the seventh, Redlich fielded Juan Vega’s grounder to begin a game-ending double play.

“He’s been that way the whole season,” North Hollywood Coach George Vranau said. “It’s not by accident that we’re strong defensively.”

Dunn, who protested a balk call in the fifth and complained to the home-plate umpire in the sixth about glare coming from behind the backstop, did not appear rattled by the Parrots.

“I just tried to take it pitch by pitch,” Dunn said.

Dunn walked three and struck out five, including Juan Guerrero on a curve to end the fifth with a runner at second and the Huskies clinging to a 2-1 lead. He left five Poly runners stranded.

“There was never a doubt,” Vranau said. “He’s the horse.”

North Hollywood took a 2-0 lead in the second on a two-run single by Jose Figueroa. Poly answered with a run in the bottom half on a single by Manuel Flores that scored Juan Flores from second.

In the seventh, Abe Montiel delivered a two-out single that drove home Figueroa from third. Rangsiyawong, who reached first on an intentional walk, took third on the play and scored on a throwing error on the play.

Rangsiyawong, who leads the City Section with 12 home runs, twice was walked intentionally and had a single in two at-bats.