Ennis Discovers Power at Plate

John Ennis of Panorama City has shown a flair for the dramatic this season, but it’s usually with his arm, not his bat.

The junior right-hander is considered one of the top pitchers in the region. Despite an up-and-down season at Monroe High, Ennis provided some of the biggest moments of the year.

He threw a no-hitter against Highland, a perfect game against Canoga Park, and was the winner in an upset of top-seeded Carson in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs.

But Ennis produced a highlight of a different kind when he hit four home runs and drove in 13 runs in a District 20 game against Sun Valley in only five innings. The game was stopped due to the 10-run rule with Panorama City leading, 18-2.

“It’s a little obvious to say but I’ve never seen anything like it before,” said Panorama City Coach Scott Smith.

Ennis, who hadn’t homered before Saturday’s game, hit two grand slams and added two-run and three-run home runs.

“I was little surprised they kept on pitching to me,” Ennis said. “After the first two, I would have pitched around me.”

An effective hitter, Ennis hit .360 with four triples but no home runs for the Vikings this year.

“We don’t have any fences and I’m not that quick,” Ennis said.

While many top pitchers either play only as a designated hitter or simply don’t play the field when they don’t pitch, Ennis fills in wherever necessary, batting .472 with 17 RBIs for Panorama City.

Against Sun Valley, Ennis--all 6 feet 4 and 205 pounds--was playing shortstop.

“I guess I’m quick enough for that,” Ennis said.

*

Saturday was not a good day to be a pitcher, especially to certain hitters.

Of the 19 games reported Saturday to The Times, there were 39 home runs--including the four by Ennis. Some of the highlights:

* Palmdale’s Brian Stein had three home runs and two doubles among his six hits in a doubleheader against Antelope Valley South. Palmdale lost the first game, 10-9, then came back to win the second, 14-4.

* Jason Spector and Travis Rutter of Woodland Hills East each had two home runs in a 19-16 victory over West Hills.

* Mike Conn, who graduated from El Camino Real in 1996 and plays for Woodland Hills West, had two home runs and four RBIs in five innings in a 11-1 victory over Van Nuys West.

* Burbank South’s Tommy Perez had two home runs in a 5-4 victory over Newhall-Saugus.

*

Not all pitchers are struggling. Some are thriving with the start of a new season.

Consider Burbank North pitcher Leonard Silva. Hampered by an ineffective offense, the left-handed senior was 0-5 at Burbank High this season.

Three weeks into the legion season, Silva is 2-0 with a 0.82 earned-run average. He has 26 strikeouts and given up nine hits in 17 innings.

“He just needed the new season,” said Burbank North and Burbank High Coach Frank Des Enfants. “It wasn’t like he pitched bad before. [The offense] just didn’t support him.”

*

Erik Johnson, an incoming freshman at Chaminade High who was the hitting star of the Moorpark All-Star team that reached the Little League World Series last year, skipped playing on this year’s team and instead joined the West Hills District 20 team last week. Johnson had a hit in his first game Saturday. . . . The District 20 All-Star game has been moved to Valley College and will be played July 6 at 1:30 p.m. . . . The game had been scheduled for Birmingham High. . . . Since moving to the leadoff spot three games ago, Jason Spector of Woodland Hills East has led off games with a triple, a home run and a single off the top of the fence. “He’s just absolutely crushing the ball right now,” said Woodland Hills East Coach Doug Siembieda. . . . Two teams had filed protests concerning possible ineligible players on Agoura Oaks, but District 20 Commissioner Mel Swerdling found no wrongdoing. “[The players] are all in the clear,” he said.