Cervenka’s Record Gets Wrapped in a Victory

By the time it was over Wednesday, the record was nearly an afterthought.

For the Crescenta Valley High girls’ softball team, the victory was more important.

Especially considering how much the Falcons had to struggle to get it.

After Newbury Park snapped a scoreless tie in the top of the 13th inning, Crescenta Valley responded with two runs for a 2-1 victory in the Downey tournament championship at Montrose Park.

For a few minutes, it appeared as if a brilliant pitching performance by junior Meredith Cervenka of Crescenta Valley (14-1) would go to waste. She had 17 strikeouts and allowed five hits.

Cervenka (14-1), who in the second inning established a state record for consecutive innings without an earned run, allowed only one Newbury Park runner to reach second base in the first 12 innings.

The Panthers (12-6) came through with a two-out rally that started with back-to-back singles by Mel Mastracco and Meghan Horan.

Newbury Park took the lead when shortstop Julie Herrold bobbled a ground ball and Mastracco raced home with the game’s first run after catcher Lindsay Ray dropped Herrold’s throw home.

“I was happy when we scored first, but that’s typically when it’s the most dangerous,” Coach Lynn Baum of Newbury Park said.

Sure enough, the Falcons responded with a lead-off single by Herrold, a sacrifice by Jessica Crownover and back-to-back walks to load the bases.

Herrold scored for Crescenta Valley on an infield single by Melanie McCauley. Ray, who advanced to third on the infield hit, scored while Newbury Park players questioned the umpire about the close play at second base.

“Obviously, they should’ve come home with it,” Baum said. “But those things happen.”

Crescenta Valley had its chances to win before the 13th inning.

The Falcons left two runners on base in the second inning and left the bases loaded in the sixth.

They nearly scored in the 11th when Sarah Scott made an error but recovered to throw out Ray in a close play at home.

“We had opportunities early and it just didn’t happen for us,” Coach Dan Berry of Crescenta Valley said.

Cervenka and her coach said the talk about the record was a distraction.

With no earned runs in 13 innings, Cervenka has not allowed an earned run in a state-record 280 innings. That surpassed the mark of 268 established by Lindsay Parker of La Canada from 1993-94.

“Everyone was making a big deal about (the record) and it made me nervous,” Cervenka said. “But a lot of the pressure’s off now and I’m more relaxed.”

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MAKING A PITCH

Here’s a look at the national record book for consecutive innings pitched without giving up an earned run:

Candice Carnahan

(Lake Charles, La.), 1988-90: 393 1/3

Meredith Cervenka

(Crescenta Valley), 1999-00: 280

Lindsay Parker

(La Canada), 1993-94: 268

Jackie Beavers

(Warren Champion, Ohio), 1994-95: 221