Burroughs baseball uses Max effort to escape with win against Arcadia
ARCADIA — An out at the plate courtesy of a head’s-up assist from Burroughs High second baseman Jonathan Max ended a wild rally Friday afternoon as the Indians defeated host Arcadia, 3-2, in Pacific League play.
With the victory, defending league champion Burroughs (14-3, 7-1 in league) avoided its first sweep at the hands of Arcadia (12-6-1, 6-2) since 2011, while the squad kept pace with unbeaten Crescenta Valley (8-0 after a win against Muir).
“I think our defense did a great job all game and at the end,” Burroughs Coach Craig Sherwood said. “No. 1, Arcadia did a great job putting the ball in play – playing great little [ball]. I was very happy with my defense and pretty happy with all of our performances.”
Arcadia trailed, 3-0, entering the bottom of the seventh as the Indians had cruised behind Cal State Northridge-bound ace Kyle Nicol. The senior side-armer had scattered four hits through the first six innings, which led Arcadia Coach Nick Lemas to do some tinkering.
Lemas inserted four pinch-hitters overall in the seventh inning and the Apaches collected four hits (two in the infield), scored one run and loaded the bases with two outs.
Arcadia’s final pinch-hitter, Ryan Tuck, then squibbed Nicol’s first offering into the edge of the infield when it bounced away from Max, who knocked the ball down with his leg and scrambled to recover.
While Max was corralling the ball, Arcadia’s Noah Falcon (who singled) scored from third base to bring the Apaches within 3-2.
Arcadia’s Steven Wong, who pinch-ran for hitter Menno Heinrichs (RBI single), then attempted to score.
That’s when Max picked up the ball and rifled a bullet to the plate that cut down Wong at the dish.
“I set myself up in the middle and the ball was to my left and hit the lip of the grass,” Max said. “I knew I didn’t have the play at first, so I just picked it up and threw home. I didn’t even look, it was instinctual.”
The out was vigorously protested by Lemas, who had a player tossed from the game in the aftermath of the play.
“The ball kind of took [Max] into shallow right a little bit and he was going away from home,” said Lemas, whose team defeated Burroughs, 8-4, in eight innings in Burbank on Tuesday. “I mean the guy made a good throw and the jury is out. We had a couple guys right there [at the plate] and they both said he was safe.”
Prior to the dramatics in the seventh, the Indians dominated the contest in all facets but only led, 2-0.
Burroughs stranded seven runners and finished two for 11 with runners in scoring position with two runs batted in.
One of those hits came from Omar Tejeda, who singled home Justin Palafox in a two-run third inning. The Indians’ other third-inning run came on a double play that allowed Jason Whaley (reached on a fielder’s choice) to score.
Whaley knocked in what turned out to be the game-winning run in the top of the seventh when he singled in Riley Hooper to give Burroughs a 3-0 lead.
The extra run didn’t seem necessary at the time for Nicol, who still ended up with a strong game as the senior allowed two runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in a complete-game effort.
“I was getting a little nervous at the end, but we got through it and came out with the win,” Nicol said. “It’s frustrating that you’re making good pitches and their dunking it all over the place, but that’s baseball and you have to find a way to win.”
Arcadia’s Falcon took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings.
The road doesn’t get any easier for Burroughs, which will face Crescenta Valley twice next week.
