Crescenta Valley Does the Job

Pitchers Jordan Olson and Josh Herman combined on a four-hitter as Crescenta Valley beat defending champion Anaheim Esperanza, 7-1, to win the Southern Section Division I baseball championship Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.

Attendance for four division championship games was announced at 7,014.

Crescenta Valley (25-3-1) won its first section title by finishing the season with 10 consecutive victories.

Olson (11-1), who pitched 5 1/3 innings in Tuesday’s semifinal victory over Yucaipa, went 4 2/3 innings Saturday, and used up his allotted 10 innings as mandated by Southern Section rules. He allowed only one run on three hits and struck out eight.

Herman went the rest of the way and was supported by outstanding defense.

Right fielder Nate Barber threw out Mike Harrison at second trying to stretch a single to end the sixth, and shortstop Bruce McReynolds and second baseman Mark McCauley turned a double play to end the game.

Crescenta Valley broke a 1-1 tie in the third on John Barbaro’s two-run double. Barber hit a two-run homer during the Falcons’ four-run fifth inning.

Esperanza finished 21-8-1.