Extra-inning drama lifts Crescenta Valley Major Baseball All-Stars past Foothill

MONTROSE — Having seen a three-run lead squandered in the late innings, the Crescenta Valley Major All-Stars team needed a quick turnaround.

They got it from Devon Medina in extra innings.

Medina had a bases-loaded two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to spur Crescenta Valley to a 6-5 win against Foothill on Tuesday in a Little League District 16 contest at Montrose Park.

Crescenta Valley will meet Burbank or Jewel City/Jewish War Veterans in a winner’s-bracket game at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Montrose. Foothill will take on Burbank or Jewel City/Jewish War Veterans in an elimination contest at 5 on Wednesday at Montrose.

After Foothill received a solo home run from Ethan Perez in the sixth, Crescenta Valley quickly regrouped. The first three batters in the seventh walked before Medina grounded a two-run single to left to make it 6-4.

“I just wanted to make some contact and get the ball into the outfield,” said Medina, who drove in four runs and picked up the win in relief. “I knew I had to get it done right there.”

Foothill scored a run off Medina in the bottom of the inning before Quinn Deitch got the last out on one pitch for the save.

Crescenta Valley Manager Kevin Deitch said he expected a stern test from Foothill.

“I’m not surprised at all by Foothill’s performance,” said Deitch, who got 10 strikeouts on 65 pitches in three innings from starter Kai Purdy-Burton. “There are a lot of good teams from around the district and we saw that here.

“It’s a good first game for us. Everybody is new and are still learning. Devon is nails. She came through when we needed her to.”

Foothill got a groundout from Max Nunez to score Will Magro to close out the scoring.

Crescenta Valley took a 1-0 lead in the first when Ben Elster scored on a wild pitch. Luke Steele gave Crescenta Valley a 2-0 lead on a sacrifice fly to right to score Tommy Golbranson in the third.

Foothill cut the lead to 2-1 in the second when Walker Klauda scored on a wild pitch. A run-scoring single by Medina plated Rowan Respicio in the third to give Crescenta Vallay a 3-1 advantage.

Purdy-Burton struck out four in the first, followed by striking out three in the second and third. However, the left-hander was removed after reaching the 65-pitch limit. He allowed two walks and hit one batter.

A bases-loaded walk to Medina in the fifth scored Elster to make it 4-1 before Foothill regrouped.

Foothill received a sacrifice fly to right by Robby Rivera to score Perez to make it 4-2. A ground-rule double to right by Nunez scored Klauda to bring Foothill to within 4-3.

Foothill assistant Mike Perez, who filled in for manager Mike Magro, said Foothill showed character with its late comeback.

“We left a lot of runners on base and we had a lot of chances,” said Perez, who got two hits apiece from Perez and Nunez. “We did some things we can build on, like coming back.

“We know we can come back, starting the next game. They are not down on themselves.”