DIVISION I BASEBALL : Ponchak Provides Barons Relief They Need

Chris Ponchak, lucky coin in his pocket, nasty disposition in his head, did what he does best Tuesday night.

Ponchak, Fountain Valley High School’s relief pitcher with an attitude, snarled, stomped and paced. His act allowed the Barons to walk a fine line and come away with a 4-1 victory over La Crescenta Crescenta Valley in the Southern Section Division I semifinals at Blair Field.

It was vintage Ponchak, who got the Barons out of a jam and retired seven of the last nine batters to put them in Friday’s title game against Lakewood. Fountain Valley will attempt to become the first top-seeded team to win this division since Lakewood in 1970.

A big chunk of the reason belongs to Ponchak, that big chunk of a reliever.

“He’s the answer for us,” catcher Dan Hoppie said. “He snaps at the ball when I throw back to him. You know he wants to be out there.”

Ponchak entered the game with two outs in the fifth and the score tied, 1-1. He inherited a runner on third and a 1-0 count to Kasey Canale. Ponchak proceeded to throw seven consecutive balls to load the bases.

“It didn’t worry me,” said Ponchak, called Big Dog by his teammates. “I knew I would find the rhythm and that would be the game.”

Ponchak struck out clean-up hitter John French to end the inning. He then mowed down the Falcons (19-6), striking out four batters and giving up only a single and a walk.

“I don’t know what it is, but I love to close out games,” Ponchak said. “I get fired up out there.’

Ponchak (8-2), highly emotional and a bit superstitious, carries a coin in his back pocket--given to him by his father--for luck and accents each pitch by walking toward home plate to get the ball back.

“He needs to get fired up like that to be effective,” Coach Ron LaRuffa said. “The closer he gets to home plate, the better I feel.”

It was about the only time that LaRuffa was comfortable.

The Barons (26-3-1) had scored 34 runs through the first three playoffs games, but had to scratch for runs against the Falcons’ Jim Parque.

Parque, a 5-foot-9, 145-pound senior, began the game with 149 strikeouts in 79 innings.

Parque (12-3), who has signed with UCLA, was on target through the first few innings, striking out five in three innings. He took a 1-0 lead into the fourth, as the Barons gave up an unearned run.

With two outs in the second, Marty Lane walked, then was caught leaning by Liuzzi. Lane broke for second, but first baseman Luke Fox’s throw hit Lane in the back. Brian Peterson singled for a 1-0 lead.

The Barons scored on wild pitches in the fourth and fifth. Fountain Valley got some breathing room in the sixth as Hoppie drove in one run with a triple and Kevin Burford followed with a single.

The Barons then turned it over to Ponchak, again.

Said LaRuffa: “He was in control.”