Jim RiggioThe Burbank High baseball team has...

Jim Riggio

The Burbank High baseball team has waited a long time to beat

cross-town rival Burroughs.

Tuesday evening, the Bulldogs -- which entered this season with a

57-game Foothill League losing streak -- stunned the host Indians,

3-0, at Burroughs High.

Burbank (6-2, 2-0 in league) defeated Saugus, 3-1, Friday to snap

the league losing the streak.

“It’s an awesome feeling -- the best I’ve ever had in my life,”

said Burbank pitcher Ken Ngarayawongse, who pitched a complete-game

shutout.

“Now we know we can battle with any team.”

Burbank last won a Foothill League game on March 19, 1999, when

Jon McGinley pitched the Bulldogs to a 9-4 victory against visiting

Valencia High.

The Bulldogs last defeated Burroughs April 29, 1997, when pitcher

Nick Behunin went nine innings to knock off the Indians, 3-2.

“This is my third year here, and words can’t describe how hard

these kids have worked,” said Burbank assistant coach Frank Brunton,

who has worked with Coach Paul Marietti for three years. “It’s been a

three-year work to get to where we’re at.”

Burbank’s defense bailed Ngarayawongse in both the first and

second innings, as the Indians ended the inning on two double plays

with a Burroughs runner at third base.

“Little things make a big difference,” said Burroughs Coach

Crowther, whose team is 5-3, 0-2. “We you have two offenses trying to

find themselves, first blood is huge. We hit the ball right at people

and the first time they got a runner on, they scored.”

After Burroughs starter Josh Campbell -- who threw a no-hitter

against Burbank last year -- threw two perfect innings to begin the

game, before Burbank finally struck in the third inning. Daniel

Harris led off the inning with an infield single, and scored three

batters later on a groundout by Mike Pacheco.

The Bulldogs added a run in the fourth inning, as Jason Mazziotti

scored when Saul Coreas hit a line-drive single off Campbell.

Harris tripled home Jesus Sarabia off Burroughs reliever Mike Diaz

in the sixth inning.

“Going into this year, we knew we had the ability to play with

anyone in California,” Brunton said. “We’ve shown it in the

preseason and we’ve shown it in league.”

Crowther congratulated Burbank on a fine effort.

“When you get a streak going, you know it’s only a matter of time

(before it ends),” he said. “They [Burbank] have eight seniors in

their lineup that have always lost to Burroughs and they wanted to

change that.”

Burbank will have a chance to make it three league wins in a row

at 3:15 p.m. on Friday with a home game against Canyon.