Parque Pitches Crescenta Valley Into First

The battle for first place in the Pacific League turned out to be a contest between two of the league’s best pitchers.

Crescenta Valley High’s Jim Parque went up against Arcadia’s Dam Tyman and it was Parque who kept his composure down the stretch, leading the Falcons to a 2-1 victory.

The senior left-hander pitched a complete game and improved his record to 6-1. He gave up five hits, struck out 11 and walked four.

The victory left the Falcons (9-3 overall) atop the league standings at 6-0.

“Jim really battled and battled today,” Crescenta Valley Coach Tony Zarrillo said. “I don’t know that he was feeling all that good, but even when he’s not at his best he’s such a competitor.”

Tyman (6-1) suffered his first loss. The senior right-hander gave up eight hits and struck out six. He walked only two.

“It was a fine high school game,” Arcadia Coach John Meiers said. “The bottom line is that they got a couple of clutch hits and we didn’t. That was the difference.”

Trailing, 1-0, in the top of the sixth, Crescenta Valley scored two runs on third baseman Brian Peterson’s two-out triple. Jason Griffiths, who had doubled, and Natt Putra, who had walked, scored on the decisive hit.

“I was just trying to make contact,” Peterson said. “I just wanted to hit the ball hard. It was a high fastball and I really got a piece of it.”

Arcadia (13-2, 5-1) scored in the bottom of the second when George Mendia drove in Jason Cly from second base with a double to right field. Cly had doubled to center field.

“I knew this would be a low-scoring game and I told the kids that before we left,” Zarrillo said. “Both teams really battled. It turned out exactly like we thought it would.”

Senior shortstop Kirk Hagge went three for three with one walk for the Falcons.

Hagge switched to catcher in the third inning when starter John French was ejected after a play at the plate. French blocked the plate to stop Arcadia’s Tim Urquidi from scoring but he smacked Urquidi with his glove after the out was recorded.

Urquidi was ejected because he made no attempt to slide.

“I don’t know whether that play at the plate was a turning point for us,” Zarrillo said. “It might have done something for us.”