By Rick Assad
Two of the best softball teams and programs in the Pacific League faced off on an unseasonably warm afternoon and as expected the game was close.
Each team tallied one run early and the game-winning run was scored with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Burroughs High fell to host Crescenta Valley 2-1 on Thursday.
The Bears’ junior pitcher Valentina Reyes began the frame by retiring freshman Scarlett Palmstrom and sophomore Camilia Hernandez on flies to right field.
Freshman Lacey Lhymn then drilled a hard-hit rocket that deflected off the glove of the third baseman and into left field.
Junior Jolene Butler lined a base hit to right field as Lhymn raced to third base.
The game was in the balance and senior Reese Fontanilla stepped up and also lined a sharp single to right field as the game was secured for the Falcons (6-4 and 2-0 in league).
Even with the setback, longtime Burroughs head coach Doug Nicol was pleased with his team.
“I am very proud of the way we played today. Two high quality teams playing excellent softball. At the end of the day, they were able to string three hits together,” he said. “That’s what it came down to.”
With two gifted pitchers in the circle, hits and runs were going to be scarce as Reyes yielded six hits with four strikeouts and two runs allowed over seven innings.
Junior hurler Chloe Mulcahey was extremely effective as the right-handed thrower fanned four with three hits surrendered and one hit batter across seven frames.
Nicol saw that the club didn’t wilt or fall to the pressure.
“I liked our grit and fight. It was a 1-1 game to the last out of the game. They just executed in that last inning with two outs,” he stated. “However, we fought so hard and I am really proud of that.”
Mulcahey retired seven straight batters twice during the game and also singled in the fourth inning and had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning.
The frame began with junior Addison Wong walking and taking second base on a sacrifice bunt from senior Kate Barnes.
Wong advanced to third base on a stolen base and scored on Mulcahey’s fly to right field.
Sophomore Kalani Miramontes led off the second inning for the Bears (7-4 and 1-1 in league) and reached on a single to center field.
Junior Chloe Zavala was safe on a force out and after sophomore Haven Vickers lashed a base hit to right field, Zavala moved to third base and scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by junior Ali Cortez that tied it at 1-1.
In the fifth inning, Vickers was safe on a one-out infield single but was erased when Cortez was safe on a force out.
Burroughs senior Karisma Mendez was hit by a pitch as Cortez moved to second base and scooted to third base on a wild pitch.
The frame concluded when senior Eva Acevedo struck out swinging.
After yielding one run in the top of the first, Reyes worked a perfect second inning as Palmstrom popped to second base and Reyes then retired Hernandez and Lhymn on swinging third strikes.
In the third inning, Reyes allowed a one-out single to left field by Fontanilla but Wong hit into a force out and Barnes lined to shortstop.
Mulcahey led off the fourth inning for the Falcons with a single to center field, but Reyes induced junior Payton Sellers to line out to right field, then fanned Palmstrom striking and Hernandez grounded to shortstop.
Butler was safe on a one-out single to left field in the fifth inning and after Fontanilla laid down a sacrifice bunt, Wong bounced to third base.
Reyes retired the side in order in the sixth inning as Barnes struck out looking, Mulcahey hit a fly ball to right field and Sellers lined to shortstop.
