By Rick Assad
Each team scored two runs and it was knotted until the top of the ninth inning between visiting Burbank High and Crescenta Valley in a Pacific League baseball game.
When the top half of the frame was concluded, the Bulldogs had sent eight batters to the plate and five made their way on base and four scored as the visitors claimed a 6-2 triumph at Stengel Field on Tuesday night.
The key blast came off the bat of senior Colby Bette who delivered a two-out, two-run single to right field.
It didn’t hurt that the Falcons committed two errors in the frame.
Robert Snyder had an infield single to lead off the frame and junior Tomas Angel also reached on an infield hit.
“Tonight was a great game, and I think it was most characterized by our team being 100 percent focused all night,” said Snyder, a senior who played first base. “A lot of people stepped up tonight, from Colby on the mound, Adrian [Vasquez] at third and Taylor [Pryor] at the plate. Everyone gave it all they had tonight.”
The other hit came from junior Ryland Le Clair who likewise had an infield hit.
Bette was stellar on the mound after scattering nine hits across eight innings and allowing just two runs, striking out three and walking three.
“I thought my outing was good. I felt a little shaky at the beginning but as the game went on, I became more and more focused,” Bette said. “It helped to have an amazing defense behind me so I can trust them to make plays. I thought overall we all played amazing and that’s what brought us to the win.”
Pryor, a senior, worked one strong inning and allowed one base runner, senior Jacob Mucic, who reached on an error.
Longtime Burbank coach Bob Hart witnessed a team that battled from the opening pitch until the end of the game.
“I saw a group of guys competing every out and on every play. Quality wins are much different than just winning,” he said. “Crescenta Valley is a winning program and is well coached [by Phil Torres] and talented. Those are the kind of wins that help a team grow.”
Hart continued: “Tonight we grew up a little bit. Defensively Adrian was unbelievable at third base,” he noted. “It was a good evening for the Bulldogs.”
Pryor was dynamite with a bat in his hands as he collected three hits including a double while teammate Snyder had two hits that included a triple down the left-field line in the third inning but did not score.
The Falcons (18-5 and 9-2 in league) took a 1-0 lead after the second inning as senior Jimmy Spears (three hits) had a run-producing single to left field that brought home junior Brock Robeson, who had a one-out single to left.
Crescenta Valley pulled ahead 2-0 after tallying a run in the third inning as six players came to bat.
Key hits were delivered by sophomore Mike Herman (three hits) who lashed a one-out single to left field and senior Charlie Carafotes (two hits) who drove in a run with a single to center field.
The Bulldogs (8-8 and 6-5 in league) evened it in the top of the fourth inning as seven hitters made their way to home plate.
Bette and Le Clair drew back-to-back walks and both runners scored as Pryor’s double to left field made it 2-1 and an infield hit by junior Julian Recinos tied it at 2-2.
Bette worked one perfect inning and that was the sixth but otherwise saw traffic on the bases in seven frames including the eighth when the Falcons saw Carafotes lead off with a single to left and take second base on a sacrifice from freshman Ryan Sabazian.
But Bette buckled down and induced senior Chris Torres to ground out and Robeson struck out looking.
Also getting base hits for the Bulldogs was senior Vasquez who singled in the first inning and played a marvelous third base and senior Michael Bui who delivered an infield single in the seventh.
“As a captain, it was a great feeling to see everyone come together on this one,” Snyder said. “The boys are riding high tonight, and we’re looking forward to the rematch on Friday.”
