Baseball: Birmingham likes being No. 1 in City Section

Birmingham High’s triumph at Dodger Stadium last June to win its first City Section Division I baseball championship since 1969 is motivating everyone to seek another title, because the journey was so much fun.

Players have already begun working toward a repeat even though the Patriots figure to receive strong competition from West Valley League rivals Chatsworth and El Camino Real.

“It’s a big difference after winning,” catcher Ryan Mendoza said. “You have to work harder because you really want to repeat.”

Said Coach Matt Mowry: “They know nothing comes easy, especially in the West Valley League.”

Pitcher Adrian Rodriguez, last season’s City Section player of the year, said at least opponents give the Patriots a lot more respect.

“People automatically know where I’m from,” he said.

The championship was particularly meaningful for Mowry, who lost his mother the previous October. She was a big baseball fan, and he carried around her Rosary beads in his back pocket at Dodger Stadium.

2015 will probably be about which team’s pitchers are able to improve the most, since Birmingham, Chatsworth and El Camino Real all return their top pitchers.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer