Burroughs Baseball Comes From Behind, Wins 4-2 Over Crescenta Valley

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By Rick Assad

 

Any win is always welcome, but a victory against a quality opponent is even more meaningful because it’s a signature win.

The Burroughs High baseball team hasn’t had any signature wins this season, but collected its first on Friday night against Crescenta Valley at Stengel Field.

Trailing 2-0 after three innings, the Indians scored over the next three frames including a two-run sixth and walked away with a  4-2 triumph in a Pacific League match.

“We had this circled on our calendar for a long time because this was supposed to be our home game today,” Burroughs coach Craig Sherwood said. “And CV switched it on us and I wasn’t happy about that, but I told our guys we can go to their place on Friday night and make it our game. And that’s what our guys did tonight. I am so proud of every player. So many players who don’t get to play. Every player here stepped up and did a great job. It was a compete total team win.”

Nicco Chuidian, pictured in a recent game, started for Burroughs against Crescenta Valley and went three innings. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Sherwood spoke about what this victory could mean.

“Every year I talk to our team about a signature win and it usually comes earlier in the year and you build off it,” he said. “Well it didn’t and our guys hung in there. We got that signature win tonight and that can take you a long way.”

Burroughs (10-17 and 7-5 in league) will pay a visit to city rival Burbank (8-12-1 and 8-4 in league) next Tuesday with a 6 p.m. start and then host the Bulldogs on Friday with a 6 p.m. first pitch.

The fateful sixth began with senior Preston Lemus hitting a bloop single to center field and racing to third base on a double down the left-field line by junior Hyatt Entz.

In two previous at-bats, Entz struck out both times, but in that at-bat seemed laser focused against junior reliever Chad Ruf, who took the setback after hurling one-third of an inning, allowing four hits with two walks.

Senior Rio Lopez, a pinch hitter, followed with a sharp single up the middle that scored Lemus to make it 3-2.

Senior Brian Garcia struck out for the initial out, but senior Michael Le’s perfectly executed push bunt brought in Entz for a 4-2 advantage.

Neither team scored in the first or second inning, but the Falcons (17-7 and 10-2 in league) made it 2-0 in the third when junior Isaac Sung walked with one out and raced to second and then third on a wild pitch that junior catcher Albert Prado couldn’t find.

Junior Will Grimm bounced to Lemus at second base, who decided to throw home to Prado, hoping to get Sung, who was safe.

The Indians, shown in a recent game versus Arcadia, played flawless defense and won 4-2 over the host Falcons. (Photo by Ross A. Benson)

Crescenta Valley’s lead expanded to 2-0 when senior Brian Ghattas roped a two-out double down the left-field line as Grimm crossed the plate.

Burroughs sliced the lead in half in the fourth inning when senior Julian Jaramillo singled to left field with one out.

Jaramillo scooted to second base on a passed ball and senior Nicco Chuidian, who singled in the seventh, and senior Andres Salazar both walked. A fielder’s choice by Lemus scored Jaramillo.

The fifth inning began with much promise as senior Dylan Rolando singled to open the frame, but Garcia, who singled in the third, bounced into a 6-4-3 double play.

Le walked and took second base on a wild pitch. Senior Collin Johnson walked and Jaramillo singled to right field that sent Le to third base. When Chuidian drew a base on balls, Le scored to even the game at 2-2.

Chuidian was the starting pitcher, went three innings, striking out three with one walk and one hit batter with two hits allowed.

Senior Xavier Dubon toured one inning and surrendered one hit and senior Nathaniel Metz tossed one inning, hit a batter and picked up the win.

Jaramillo was given the save after working two innings, walking one, hitting one batter and yielding one hit.

Sophomore Noah Maddox went four and two-third innings, allowing three hits, with five strikeouts and four walks for the Falcons.

Senior Chris Lawson fanned one across one frame and junior Logan Tourville hit a batter and struck out a batter in one inning.