Indians play well, but lose, 2-1

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan

The disappointment was written on Jennifer Gomez’s face.

The Burroughs High softball coach was proud of her team’s valiant

effort against Crescenta Valley on Saturday in a semifinal game of

the third annual San Fernando Valley Victory Spring Classic, but she

knew the Indians were a break or two away from pulling off the upset

-- and that’s what hurt.

The Indians played well in some stretches against the Falcons at

Encino’s Hjelte Sports Center, but they couldn’t string together a

sustained rally in a 2-1 loss to CV.

“We’re a work in progress,” Gomez said. “I’m disappointed in the

outcome. We’re better than what we showed.”

Indian starting pitcher Dani Regan (7-5) had a strong outing --

something she has been doing all season --allowing five hits and

striking out four.

However, a crucial mistake in the first inning made the difference

between CV (8-2) having to pack its bags to move to the adjacent

field for the championship game -- which it won by defeating Granada

Hills, 2-1, in 10 innings -- and the Indians staying right where they

were.

Falcon outfielder Megan Luna reached base in the top of the first

on an error and teammate Kirsten Whitt did an good job of fouling off

a handful of pitches to draw a 12-pitch walk, putting runners on

first and second with just one out.

CV junior standout Amanda Peek -- who played baseball her first

two years in high school before joining the softball team as a

dominant, hard-throwing catcher -- slammed a triple to left-center

field to score the Falcons’ lone runs.

“She just tomahawked the ball over my centerfielder’s head,” Gomez

said.

Burroughs (8-5) cut the Falcons’ lead in half in the bottom half

of the first when Janette Galindo’s infield single brought home Val

Rico, who had doubled to center and went to third on a wild pitch.

But the Indians stranded five runners -- two in scoring position

-- after the first inning, much to the frustration of Gomez.

“When you leave kids on second base, it’s difficult to bring runs

across,” said Gomez, whose team was two for seven with runners on

base.

Falcon starting pitcher Sarah Sherman (8-2) forced seven flyouts,

eight groundouts and struck out three. The senior, who was an

outfielder in her previous two years on varsity, surrendered six hits

-- with Rico, Galindo and Regan collecting two apiece -- and walked

one.

“She bore down,” CV Coach Dan Berry said. “The kids did what they

had to do in a tough game.

“Everything was at stake here and the kids did well. That says

something about our team and how they respond.”

For Burroughs, the one-run loss seems to be a trend for the team.

“We have had so many one-run and so many close games that we lost

this season,” Gomez said. “We have been in every game.”