El Camino Real Wins Without Scoring Style Points : City 4-A baseball playoffs: Top-seeded Conquistadores grind out a 5-0 victory over Van Nuys in opening round.

A half-dozen pitches into the game, leadoff batter Justin Martin of El Camino Real High took off from first on an attempted steal. Wheels churning, he dove head-first into second and landed with a splat. He beat the throw, skidded into the bag, crawled to his feet and raised his arms over his head in an acknowledgment of his less-than-textbook effort.

“It rained out here and the basepaths were real soft,� Martin said. “I landed with a thud. It even snapped my head back.�

Crude-but-effective also describes the overall effort as the top-seeded Conquistadores knocked off Van Nuys, 5-0, Tuesday in the first round of the City Section 4-A Division playoffs at El Camino Real.

It may have been something of a crash landing for Martin and Co., but they survived. El Camino Real, ranked sixth in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, will play host to Banning on Thursday at 3 p.m.

El Camino Real (21-2) managed only four hits off junior right-hander Jesus Bolivar (4-7), but made up for the lack of lumber with a display of lightening. The Conquistadores swiped three bases, starting with Martin’s team-high 13th theft.

Martin, who walked four times, came around to score on a ground out by Randy Wolf for a 1-0 lead. The Conquistadores didn’t have a hit until shortstop Dan Cey a two-run homer over the fence in right-center with one out in the third.

“I didn’t think we played as well as we have been,� said El Camino Real Coach Mike Maio, whose team entered postseason play batting .372. “But I guess it’s better to win ugly than to lose beautifully.�

Right-hander Kevin Szymanski (9-1) wobbled once or twice, but held on for his 10th complete game in as many starts. With El Camino Real holding a 5-0 lead in the sixth, Benjamin Navarrete and Alex Alvarenga singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch, prompting a visit to the pitcher’s mound by Maio.

Szymanski buckled down, retiring the side on a pop fly and a pair of strikeouts. Szymanski allowed a single and walk to open the seventh, resulting in a repeat visit from the coach. However, Szymanski wriggled off the hook, escaping the jam.

“Every time he came out he told me that if I didn’t get the next guy, he was bringing in Randy (Wolf),� said Szymanski, who allowed six hits and struck out three. “That pumped me up. I wanted to finish it up.�

Leading, 3-0, in the fourth, El Camino Real manufactured two more runs. With two out, Mike Smith singled, and with Chris Seal at the plate, broke for second on a hit-and-run play. Seal singled sharply to left-center, and Smith circled the bases. Seal later scored on a throwing error.