Crescenta Valley Beats Hoover to Earn Playoff Berth

Scott Gleason scattered seven hits and doubled in the winning run Saturday as Crescenta Valley High defeated Hoover, 2-1, in a Pacific League baseball game at Stengel Field.

The game was scheduled after both teams finished the regular season with an 8-7 record in league play. By virtue of the win, Crescenta Valley (13-12) will participate in the Southern Section 3-A Division playoffs as the Pacific League’s third-place team.

Gleason’s double drove in David Bayles with two out in the bottom of the first. Bayles had reached base on a double that scored Victor Ramirez.

Mickey Moreno had given Hoover (13-9) a quick 1-0 lead when he doubled to score pitcher David Berkey, who had led off with a single and advanced on a sacrifice.

Berkey held Crescenta Valley to five hits and struck out six, but Falcon Coach Tony Zarrillo was not fazed by the lack of scoring.

“This was the type of game that’s indicative of the success we’ve had of late,” said Zarrillo, whose team has won seven of its past nine games. “We’re not getting a great many hits but were taking advantage of those that we do get.”

Gleason (6-3) improved to 6-0 against league opponents.

“I felt he was going to be good,” Zarrillo said of Gleason, who missed four weeks of the season because of a shoulder injury. “I didn’t realize he would be this good.”