Crescenta Valley Takes Another Title : Baseball: Falcons beat Arcadia for second consecutive Pacific League championship.

ARCADIA — It wasn’t as easy as 1-2-3--not until the end, anyway--but the Crescenta Valley High baseball team did it again.

The Falcons defeated Arcadia, 3-2, Tuesday to clinch their second consecutive Pacific League championship and first back-to-back titles in the school’s 34-year history.

Crescenta Valley (18-3, 12-2) earned at least a co-championship and can win the title outright with a victory over last-place Pasadena in Thursday’s season finale. However, the Falcons, by virtue of two victories over Arcadia (18-5, 11-3), are assured of the league’s No. 1 playoff berth. Arcadia plays Thursday at Glendale.

“We came out on top--that’s all that matters,” said catcher Jesse Daggett, whose two-run single in the third inning gave Crescenta Valley a 3-0 lead. “But we can’t forget about Pasadena. We don’t want to share anything with these guys.”

Especially the Apaches’ frustration. Arcadia stranded 10 baserunners--eight in scoring position--and leadoff batter Chris Humpert twice was thrown out at the plate.

Arcadia advanced a runner to third in each of the first four innings before breaking through for two runs against right-hander Natt Putra (9-1) in the fifth.

Billy Huddleston relieved Putra, stifled the rally and pitched two more scoreless innings to earn his third save.

In the seventh, Huddleston recorded three easy outs--the only inning in which Arcadia was retired in order.

“Oh my, I’m a mess,” Crescenta Valley Coach Tony Zarrillo said. “You can’t play in these games, you have to watch. It’s tough. But it’s fun.”

Crescenta Valley moved ahead in the first on a sacrifice fly by Brian Peterson that drove in Kasey Canale. In the third, Gary Godbold and Canale singled, moved into scoring position on an error and both scored on Daggett’s hit.

Putra, who struck out three and walked two, was under constant pressure. In the fifth, Arcadia started with back-to-back doubles by Benj Cruz and Ryan Baderian, and Putra was finished.

“It just felt like (Arcadia) knew what I was going to throw,” Putra said. “The defense has saved me time and time again, all season long.”

Arcadia right-hander Brian Hawkins (4-1) pitched a three-hitter, striking out eight, and didn’t allow a hit after Daggett’s single in the third. But Hawkins’ plight mirrored that of his teammates.

After the game, Crescenta Valley players erupted in jubilation. The Apaches, who lost to Pasadena last week to set up the showdown, headed to their locker room and remained behind closed doors for more than a half-hour.

“These guys have talked so much smack to us,” Daggett said of Arcadia. “They thought they were higher than us.”