Daily Archives: April 19, 2012

Indians Rally to Stun Bulldogs in Softball

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In a game where emerging young players were getting plenty of attention in the build-up, it was two seniors who stepped-up and delivered late heroics for Burroughs Thursday night against crosstown rival Burbank High.

Caitlin Loera squeezed home teammate Sidney Ortega on a 0-1 pitch and Haley Schulman threw a complete game on a night where she didn’t have her best stuff to spark the Indians to a thrilling 4-3 win over the Bulldogs.

Burroughs Caitlin Loera lays down a bunt that brought home Sidney Ortego to win the game. 4 to 3. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, Loera executed a perfect bunt towards first base which Burbank pitcher Caitlyn Brooks got to but had no shot at cutting down Ortega at the plate. The pitch was just inches off the ground and far from ideal, but Loera delivered to the delight of hundreds of Burroughs fans on a perfect Spring night at Olive Park.

“I’m just very happy for her, to be able to deliver like that in the pressure in her final home game against Burbank,” Burroughs coach Doug Nicol said. “I don’t think people realize how hard that is to do in that kind of moment.”

Loera had flied out deep to left in the fifth inning, stranding a pair of runners in scoring position and allowing Burbank to take a 3-2 lead into the sixth. “I thought she made good contact, just got under it a bit there,” Nicol said.

Burroughs Pitcher Haley Schulman.

Good pitchers win when they have their best stuff. Great pitchers win on the days where their stuff is only decent. Schulman moved into the elite category in her coach’s eyes on a night where she was only ordinary.

Schulman battled butterflies, bad breaks and a night where her command was off and velocity down and emerged victorious leaving Burbank players to wonder if they will ever get the best of the senior or the Indians — who have won seven straight against Burbank.

“Just as we have played better as a team, Haley has been better,” Nicol said. “But that is the thing, she showed so much heart and determination I was very proud. In this game you don’t have it every night and you still have to get it done — she did it.”

Burbank took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning when Katie Hooper lined a pitch into right field on a hit and run. The ball kicked away from right fielder Megan McKenna allowing a run to score and Hooper to reach third.

The Bulldogs led 3-1 moments later when Laina Do laid down a bunt and the Schulman attempted to get Hooper at the plate.

“Mistake on our part, obviously with two outs we should have thrown her out at first,” Nicol said. “We just did not make it easy on ourselves that inning.”

Burroughs had led 1-0 after two innings when McKenna singled Aimee Rodriguez home. Rondriguez had led off the inning with a single.

The Indians responded to the Bulldogs’ runs in the fifth inning by loading the bases in the bottom half of the inning. They scored one on a Michelle Santiago comebacker to Brooks, who got the lead runner at home, but the ensuing throw to first kicked off Santiago and out of play. Nicol argued that a second run should have been brought in on the play, but the umpire crew kept runners at second and third.

Burbank held the lead into the seventh, when the Indians first got even, 3-3, after Santiago singled home Brice Edrington. With one out, Edrington had dribbled a ball towards first but reached second after she had collided with Crystal Diaz on a race to first and the ball flew out of her glove and out of play. Ally Grimaldo walked and was replaced by Ortega. Santiago singled home Edrington and Ortega moved to third base.

Santiago stole second base on the first pitch to Loera, and Ortega was squeezed home on the very next pitch.

“We didn’t want to take a chance of going down in the count 0-2, so we did it right after the steal,” Nicol said. “I think we surprised them after not even showing bunt on the first pitch.”

Burroughs continues its dominance of Burbank and the Pacific League. It is in firm control with a 14-1 overall record and a 6-0 league mark. Burbank had its win streak snapped at 12 games and falls to 12-2 overall and 5-1 in league. The problem for Burbank is that no one — the Bulldogs included — seem able to beat the Indians in the Pacific.

The two teams will conclude the season on May 10 at McCambridge Park. Assuming both teams winout on their schedule, the Bulldogs can share the league title with the Indians by beating them in the finale.

 Video From the Bottom of the 7th Inning

Burbank Police Release Sketch of Suspect in Home Invasion Robbery

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A home invasion robbery occurred March 12 in the 1900 block of North Buena Vista Street.  The victim answered her door upon seeing a security officer in full uniform, consistent with the security officers at her apartment complex.

When the victim opened her door, the suspect immediately forced his way into the apartment, holding a knife. The man, still holding the knife to the victim, demanded her cash and jewelry before fleeing the apartment in an unknown direction.

The suspect is described as a Male, Hispanic, 30-39 years old, 5”-10” to 6’, 200-250 pounds, last seen wearing a white uniform style shirt, black pants, and black shoes or boots.

The Burbank Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect. If you have any information on the crime or identification of the suspect, you are asked to contact Detective Medlin at 818-238-3273.

Intersection Returns to Normal After Diesel Fuel Spill Closes Area Roads

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An early morning diesel spill on Alameda Avenue & Buena Vista on Wednesday caused havoc to morning commuters as Burbank Police found it necessary to close westbound Alameda at Buena Vista.

Burbank Fire Fighters and Haz-mat Crews work with trucking company to recover some of the spilled diesel & bio diesel fuel. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

A truck carrying Diesel fuel & Bio Diesel fuel was westbound on the 134 fwy heading to Los Angeles City Fire Station 89, located on Lankershim Blvd., when he discovered he had a malfunction and was leaking part of his load and decided to pull over on Alameda just west of Buena Vista.

The transport tanker lost about 40 gallons of fuel and Burbank Fire Department, including the Burbank Hazmat, responded. They discovered some of the fuel oil had gotten into the sewer system.

The leak was plugged and some fluid drained into a wadding pool the fire department hazmat had set up. Fearing the fuel would might go into the LA River, Burbank Hazmat contacted Los Angeles County Health Hazmat who responded to assist in the cleanup and monitor the process. It was discovered that the sewer had leaves and mud in it, and the fuel did not travel into the river.

Clean up took several hours and the street was reopened around 2:00 PM. There were no injuries to anyone involved and an unknown amount was spent in the recovery of the spill.

 

18 Year-Old Man Arrested After Being Indicted for Pointing a Laser at an Aircraft

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A North Hollywood man was taken into custody this morning after being charged in a federal indictment that alleges he pointed the beam of a laser at multiple aircraft, announced Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; and André Birotte, Jr., the United States Attorney in Los Angeles.

Adam Gardenhire,18, was arrested this morning at his North Hollywood residence without incident. Gardenhire was named in a two-count indictment filed yesterday in United States District Court in Los Angeles that alleges he pointed the beam of a laser at a private plane and a police helicopter.

The federal statute used to charge Gardenhire is part of new legislation recently signed into law by President Obama that makes it a federal crime to deliberately point a laser at an aircraft. The indictment marks the second time a violation of the new statute has been charged in the United States, and the first time one has been charged on the West Coast.

According to the indictment, Gardenhire deliberately aimed a commercial-grade green laser at multiple aircraft on the evening of March 29, 2012. The laser attack was initially reported by a pilot operating a privately owned Cessna Citation. The indictment further alleges that the beam of Gardenhire’s laser was pointed at a helicopter operated by a pilot with the Pasadena Police Department who was responding to the report of the laser attack on the Cessna. Air and ground investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Pasadena Police Department identified Gardenhire as a suspect later that evening, and Gardenhire was taken into custody on state charges of pointing a laser at an aircraft. Gardenhire subsequently posted bail and was released from local custody while the joint investigation continued.

Reports of laser attacks have increased dramatically in recent years as laser devices have become more affordable and widely available to the public. In addition, technology has advanced the effectiveness of laser devices, with a resulting increase in the potential safety hazards for pilots operating aircraft and their passengers and crew. Such safety hazards include temporary distraction and impaired vision, which is particularly dangerous during the critical takeoff or landing phase of flight. In addition, pilots have reported the need to abort landings or relinquish control of the aircraft to another pilot as a result of laser attacks. California consistently leads the nation in reports of laser attacks. Over 3,500 laser attacks were reported in 2011.

Gardenhire is scheduled to make an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge this afternoon in federal court in downtown Los Angeles.

If convicted of both charges in the indictment, Gardenhire faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Gardenhire is also subject to civil penalties by the Federal Aviation Administration.

This investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the FBI.

Gardenhire is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

SPORTS SHORTS

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Tribe Rolls

Ike Nwachie

Burroughs boys’ volleyball made short work of cross town rival,Burbank, 25-14, 25-11, 25-13, in a Pacific League match at Burroughs.

Daniel Jacobs led the Indians with nine kills. Robby Rutecki added five digs and seven aces while teammate Ike Nwachie had six kills and four blocks. BJ Lagmay had 25 assists.

The win puts Burroughs at 16-3 overall and 9-0 in league. It plays Friday, April 20 at home against Crescenta Valley at 5:30 p.m.  Burbank’s 3-11 overall in its first season at the varsity level in the sport.

 Softball Showdown Set

Rumor has it that Burbank softball coach Nicole Drabecki made a call to Burroughs High earlier this week to make sure that the Indians’ would have a batter’s box chalked out for tonight’s crucial Pacific League game at Olive Park.

The reason? Burroughs has several slap hitters and Drabecki wants to limit the possibility they will

Caitlyn Brooks

be able to get out of the box prior to contact and gain an advantage heading to first base.

Batter’s boxes aside, the April 19 contest between Burroughs (13-1 overall and 5-0 in league) and Burbank (12-1 overall and 5-0) is one of the most highly anticipated match-ups of the season. The two rivals put together remarkable nonleague seasons and they have dominated Pacific League opponents as they both wind down the first round of league play.

Clearly the only threat to either team is one another. Although Burroughs has won the league consecutive seasons, Drabecki proclaimed her Bulldogs the team to beat with the arrival of Caitlyn Brooks.

The freshman standout is 7-1 this season with a 2.94 ERA in 50 innings pitched. She is also hitting .455.

Veteran Katie Hooper is batting .472 and Laina Do is batting .485 to lead the Bulldogs’ offense.

Burroughs Shannon Trujillo continues to make her case at the league’s best offensive player. The senior catcher leads the Indians with a .486 average and four home runs.

Additionally, pitcher Haley Schulman is 9-1 with two saves and 65 strikeouts. She is also batting .474, second on the Indians only to Trujillo.

Baseball Battle Brewing

As is typically the case the eight teams in the Pacific League could really be divided into two four team leagues consisting of the “haves” and the “have-nots.”

As the midway point in the league schedule arrives April 20 with the Burroughs and Burbank baseball teams battling one another it is pretty clear that both teams will stay in the upper portion of the league the rest of the way – even if they continue to look-up at Arcadia and Crescenta Valley in the standings.

Arcadia is 14-3 overall and unbeaten in league, CV is 13-4 overall and also 5-0 in league play. Burroughs, who fell to CV only 2-1 in the league opener on March 27 and missed several chances to pull-off the upset, has won four straight and is now 7-9 overall but 4-1 in league.Burbank is 6-7 overall and 3-2 in league.

The rest of the league –Pasadena,Hoover, Muir and Glendale– have combined for only three wins.

Burroughs pummeled the back half of the league over a two week stretch since its Spring Break. They defeated Muir 14-1,Glendale5-0,Pasadena11-1 andHoover9-1.

The Indians welcomed back clean-up hitter Christian Garia into the line-up against the Tornadoes on April 16.

“We are excited about the possibility of getting Christian back in the lineup. He was a key to our offense before he got hurt,” head coach Kiel Holmes said. “A lot of guys have really stepped up to make up for his absence, Chris Peale and Ryan Gordon in particular, but you can’t help but be excited about getting a bat like Christian’s back at this point of the season.”

Garia will wear a specially crafted brace on his wrist the remainder of the season.

Against Hoover, Chris Daviesstole four bases and scored two runs. Peale was 2-for- 3 with a triple

Chris Peale

and two RBI and Dylan Goldsack was 2-for-2 with a double, two RBI and a stolen base.

In a less heralded return senior Steven Cseh pitched an inning, his first appearance in a league game in almost three years coming off a shoulder surgery.

“Location was good and velocity is slowly coming back to him,” Holmes said. ”This was a proud moment for a coach, who has watched a kid who has struggled with injuries his whole high school career, finally get in a game and see some positive momentum.”

Peale remains one to watch for on the All-League team at year’s end with a .583 average seven RBI, .885 slugging percentage in the five league contests thus far. He was 3-for-4 with three RBI in the April 13 contest against Pasadena.

Gordon was 2-for-3 with a double and RBI in that contest as well.

On the mound, Daniel Barraza continues to impress. He threw four innings against the Bulldogs allowing only three hits and one earned run with five strikeouts. He has given up just those three hits in league play and has a 2-0 record in league with 10 2/3 IP, 0.84 ERA, 17 K and six walks.

Burbank edged out Glendale, 1-0, in return to league action April 6. It was then edged out by Arcadia, 2-1, last week before taking out their offensive frustrations on Muir 12-1 on April 17.

The Bulldogs scored six runs in the first inning and never looked back. Ian McKinnon, Paul Frias, Dylan Mersola and Harrison Hernandez each had two hits.

Hernandez had four RBI – John White and Nate Zavala each had two.