LA City Baseball Playoffs: El Camino Real, Birmingham Will Play at Dodger Stadium

NORTHRIDGE - Sometimes, stars emerge from obscure places — especially in the LA City Section.

For El Camino Real, its star was a second baseman with no pitching experience.

"Jackson had thrown just three and two-thirds innings all last year," ECR coach Josh Lienhard said. "He was not supposed to be a starter this year, but then he got two Monday starts earlier in the season and was dominant."

Jackson Sellz moved to 10-1 from the bump with a complete-game, six-strikeout performance in El Camino Real's 4-3 comeback win over Granada Hills at Cal State Northridge Wednesday afternoon. The win advances the Royals to Dodger Stadium for the Open Division final against Birmingham Charter on Saturday at 1 p.m.

El Camino Real 4, Granada Hills 3. FINAL

ECR advances to the Open Division final at Dodger Stadium on Saturday to defend its 2025 title and try and win the program’s 11th which would be the most all-time.

Jackson Sellz goes complete game with 6 strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/jzygbK2wqC
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) May 20, 2026

No. 1-seeded Birmingham beat Carson 4-1. Pitcher Carlos Acuna threw a complete game with seven strikeouts.

The West Valley League rivals played three times in the regular season. El Camino Real won the first matchup on March 24, 8-3. Birmingham won the last two games 10-2 and 9-1, respectively.

The two teams will meet in the Open Division final to face each other for the second time in the Open Division era. Birmingham beat El Camino Real 4-3 in 2018.

ECR'S COMEBACK VICTORY

Granada Hills took a 1-0 lead in the third inning when Nicholas Penaranda's bunt scored Caleb Reclusado. The lead grew to 3-0 from Landon Tuch's two-RBI single.

Despite the deficit, Sellz' stuff kept getting better and better, which allowed El Camino Real to have its big sixth inning. With the Royals trailing 3-1, they rallied to score three runs, which was highlighted by RJ De La Rosa's two-RBI single to take a one-run advantage.

"We were 0 for 9 with runners in scoring position until the last hit," Lienhard said.

RJ De La Rosa two-RBI single to right field gives El Camino Real the 4-3 lead over Granada Hills.

Headed to 7th inning. ECR is three outs away from Dodger Stadium after trailing 3-0 at one point this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/Id2bvr3SUA
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) May 20, 2026

Granada Hills Charter is still looking for a berth to Dodger Stadium under coach Matt Matuszak. The Highlanders won the West Valley League four straight years from 2021-2024 and earned the No. 1 seed in the Open Division in each of those seasons, but have never advanced past the semifinal round.

ECR CHASING HISTORY

El Camino Real, which won the City championship last spring, will look to be the City's all-time winning program with 11 City titles. The Royals currently have 10 City titles in its history, tied with Chatsworth.

Lienhard will be coaching in his eighth City final since taking the job in 2009.

Interview with El Camino Real baseball coach Josh Lienhard, who will coach in his 8th City final Saturday since taking over the program in 2009.

He says ace pitcher Jackson Sellz had just three innings pitched last year as a sophomore. Went 10-1 this spring — remarkable. pic.twitter.com/xe2OjcMEyZ
— Tarek Fattal (@Tarek_Fattal) May 21, 2026

BIRMINGHAM & DODGER STADIUM

Coach Matt Mowry has a way of getting his teams to Dodger Stadium. This time, the Patriots are the No. 1 seed after winning the West Valley League, and for all intents and purposes, the favorites in Saturday's final.

Birmingham has been the Open final in 2018, '19, '22, '23, '24, and now in 2026. In those five appearances before Saturday, the Patriots have won three. Birmingham has eight City titles in program history.

OTHER NOTABLE SCORES, NOTES

Taft 2, Venice 0: Victor Jara threw a complete game shutout with five strikeouts and allowed just oen hit. The Toreadors will play in their first City final since 2021 when they beat Hamilton 14-4. The game was not played at Dodger Stadium because of COVID-19.

Verdugo Hill 2, Sylmar 1 (10 innings): The Dons will play in their first City final since 2018. It will be the program's second appearance all-time. Miguel Wong knocked in the game-winning RBI single in the top of the 10th.

CITY BASEBALL PLAYOFF BRACKETS

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION BRACKETS

CIF-SS QUARTERFINALS MATCHUPS, MAY 22

QF1: Corona at Notre Dame
QF2: Cypress at Harvard-Westlake
QF3: St. John Bosco at La Mirada
QF4: Norco at Orange Lutheran

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