Defensive Lapses Cost the Falcons : Division I baseball: Misplays play big role Crescenta Valley’s 4-1 semifinal loss to Fountain Valley.

Opportunity knocked.

Fountain Valley High didn’t exactly kick down the door. More like snuck in the bedroom window.

Taking advantage of several Crescenta Valley letdowns on defense, Fountain Valley manufactured enough offense Tuesday night to knock off the Falcons and left-hander Jim Parque, 4-1, in a Southern Section Division I semifinal at Blair Field.

Parque (12-3) allowed only six hits, but the top-seeded Barons took what they could, if not what they wanted, on the basepaths. Fountain Valley (26-3-1) was the willing recipient of a balk and two passed balls, while swiping four bases in as many attempts.

“They were very opportunistic,” Crescenta Valley Coach Tony Zarrillo said. “They did a great job of taking advantage of what we gave them.”

And there were a few gifts, to be sure. After scoring their first run on a wild pitch, the Barons pulled a near instant replay in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead for good.

With one out, Craig Ritter singled and moved to second on a passed ball by catcher John French. Parque then balked Ritter to third, and he scored from there after Parque fired a pitch in the dirt that bounced 10 feet away from French.

French fired to Parque, who was covering at the plate, but the UCLA-bound senior bobbled the throw as Fountain Valley took a 2-1 lead.

“That pitcher was quality, one of the best we’ve faced all year,” said right-hander Chris Ponchak, who improved to 8-2 with 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief. “We thought we’d have to scrap, we thought we’d have to battle, and we did.”

Fountain Valley--seeking to become the first top-seeded team in Division I to win the championship since 1970--put the game away with two runs in the sixth when Parque surrendered three consecutive hits, including a run-scoring triple by Dan Hoppie.

Crescenta Valley mounted a threat in the top of the seventh, but Kirk Hagge flied out to left with runners at second and third to end it.

Crescenta Valley (19-6) didn’t muster much offensively. The Falcons managed only three hits off Jason Liuzzi and Ponchak, who combined to strike out nine.

“I was very impressed with their pitching,” Zarrillo said. “Man, we had to hang in tooth and nail to stay in the ballgame.”

It was nail-biting time for Fountain Valley in the fifth. With the score tied, 1-1, Ponchak relieved Liuzzi and walked two batters to load the bases with two out. However, Ponchak retired French, the clean-up hitter, on a called third strike to end the threat.

“That could have been a big plus for from an emotional standpoint,” Zarrillo said. “It was a little deflating for us and I think it gave them a lift.”

Crescenta Valley scored its run in the second, with a little help from the Fountain Valley defense. After earning a two-out walk, Marty Lane was picked off first by Liuzzi. However, first baseman Luke Fox hit Lane in the back on the ensuing throw to second.

Lane scored on a single to center by third baseman Brian Peterson.