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Crescenta Valley survives scare
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| The Crescenta Valley High softball team celebrates a 3-1 win over Burroughs on Tuesday. (Roger Wilson/News-Press) |
Softball: Falcons score three runs in sixth to post 3-1 Pacific League win against Burroughs.
By Dylan Kruse
LA CRESCENTA — For the second time this season, Burroughs High gave the mighty Crescenta Valley softball team everything it could handle for the first five innings in a Pacific League battle on Tuesday afternoon.
However, much like the first meeting earlier this season, the Falcons stepped up when it mattered most — the final two frames.
Trailing by a run entering the bottom of the sixth, Crescenta Valley rallied to score three runs, all of which came with two outs, to narrowly edge the visiting Indians, 3-1.
With the win, Crescenta Valley, the No. 1 team in CIF Southern Section Division III, improves to 22-0, 10-0 in league, setting up a huge showdown with second-place Burbank today.
“That’s a good game,” Crescenta Valley Coach Dan Berry said. “Burroughs played us very well, but Burroughs played Burbank to 1-0 last time they played. Some teams just match up well.”
The Indians (10-11, 6-4) clearly showed they matched up well against the Falcons from the get-go. But in the end, Burroughs was forced to endure a bad case of déjà vu thanks to the Falcons’ comeback.
“Tremendous effort by our girls,” said Burroughs Coach Steven Garcia, whose squad was tied, 2-2, with Crescenta Valley before the Falcons pulled away for an 8-2 victory in their previous league meeting on March 20.
The Indians wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in the top of the first, grabbing a 1-0 lead.
The early advantage was something Kerry Hodgins wasn’t about to give up without a fight. The senior right-hander kept the potent Falcons lineup off balance all afternoon, giving up just one earned run, scattering six hits and allowing five base runners through the first five innings.
After surrendering the run in the first inning, Crescenta Valley hurler Heather Bacon matched Hodgins every step of the way.
Bacon allowed just three hits and fanned nine batters in her seven innings of work to pick up the win.
“She did really well,” Berry said. “If she limits them to one run and we lose, shame on us.”
The Falcons made sure that wouldn’t be the case, however.
Down, 1-0, entering the sixth, shortstop Baillie Kirker walked to start things off. The Falcons then hit into two consecutive groundouts, moving Kirker to third and bringing Stephanie Ziemann to the plate.
Ziemann belted a ball down the third-base line that was knocked down by Burroughs third baseman Angela Parker, who made a diving stop. Parker got up and threw to first, but it wasn’t in time, as Ziemann was safe with an infield hit and Kirker crossed home to tie things up at 1.
After a Bacon infield hit and an Erin Ashby walk that loaded the bases, Zara Montes crushed a one-hopper to shortstop Vanessa Similie. Similie tried to get the force out at third base, but the throw got past Parker, allowing Ziemann and pinch-runner Kaela Green to score.
After avoiding the potential stumble against the Indians, Crescenta Valley must quickly avert its attention to Burbank, ranked No. 2 in the division.
“I gave them 15 minutes to think about what happened today,” Berry said. “After that, they’ll change hats for tomorrow.”
The game will take place at 3:15 at McCambridge Park in Burbank.
However, much like the first meeting earlier this season, the Falcons stepped up when it mattered most — the final two frames.
Trailing by a run entering the bottom of the sixth, Crescenta Valley rallied to score three runs, all of which came with two outs, to narrowly edge the visiting Indians, 3-1.
With the win, Crescenta Valley, the No. 1 team in CIF Southern Section Division III, improves to 22-0, 10-0 in league, setting up a huge showdown with second-place Burbank today.
“That’s a good game,” Crescenta Valley Coach Dan Berry said. “Burroughs played us very well, but Burroughs played Burbank to 1-0 last time they played. Some teams just match up well.”
The Indians (10-11, 6-4) clearly showed they matched up well against the Falcons from the get-go. But in the end, Burroughs was forced to endure a bad case of déjà vu thanks to the Falcons’ comeback.
“Tremendous effort by our girls,” said Burroughs Coach Steven Garcia, whose squad was tied, 2-2, with Crescenta Valley before the Falcons pulled away for an 8-2 victory in their previous league meeting on March 20.
The Indians wasted little time in getting on the scoreboard in the top of the first, grabbing a 1-0 lead.
The early advantage was something Kerry Hodgins wasn’t about to give up without a fight. The senior right-hander kept the potent Falcons lineup off balance all afternoon, giving up just one earned run, scattering six hits and allowing five base runners through the first five innings.
After surrendering the run in the first inning, Crescenta Valley hurler Heather Bacon matched Hodgins every step of the way.
Bacon allowed just three hits and fanned nine batters in her seven innings of work to pick up the win.
“She did really well,” Berry said. “If she limits them to one run and we lose, shame on us.”
The Falcons made sure that wouldn’t be the case, however.
Down, 1-0, entering the sixth, shortstop Baillie Kirker walked to start things off. The Falcons then hit into two consecutive groundouts, moving Kirker to third and bringing Stephanie Ziemann to the plate.
Ziemann belted a ball down the third-base line that was knocked down by Burroughs third baseman Angela Parker, who made a diving stop. Parker got up and threw to first, but it wasn’t in time, as Ziemann was safe with an infield hit and Kirker crossed home to tie things up at 1.
After a Bacon infield hit and an Erin Ashby walk that loaded the bases, Zara Montes crushed a one-hopper to shortstop Vanessa Similie. Similie tried to get the force out at third base, but the throw got past Parker, allowing Ziemann and pinch-runner Kaela Green to score.
After avoiding the potential stumble against the Indians, Crescenta Valley must quickly avert its attention to Burbank, ranked No. 2 in the division.
“I gave them 15 minutes to think about what happened today,” Berry said. “After that, they’ll change hats for tomorrow.”
The game will take place at 3:15 at McCambridge Park in Burbank.
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