Burroughs hits, but loses tourney title

Jeff Tully

The Burroughs High baseball team was looking for a sign -- even the

smallest sign -- that its offense still had a pulse.

With a team batting average of only .278, the Indian offense

limped its way into the championship game of the El Segundo

Tournament against a potent Encino Crespi squad.

Although Burroughs was defeated by the Celts, 7-4, Saturday at El

Segundo’s Recreation Park, the Indians took a step in the right

direction in resurrecting their hitting.

“Four runs isn’t something to jump up and down about,” Burroughs

Coach Tom Crowther said. “But the way we have been hitting the past

few weeks, this is a good outing for us. We have just not been

scoring a lot of runs lately.

“I thought we hit the ball well, and I’m hoping this is the

beginning of us getting our hitting back.”

The tournament championship game was a long time coming for the

teams.

Burroughs (6-7-1) and Crespi were scheduled to play the game on

March 15, but it was rained out and had to be rescheduled.

Heading into the originally-scheduled game, the Indians were 4-0

and off to the program’s best start in 25 years. However, Burroughs

started to struggle once it hit Foothill League play, going 2-7-1 in

its last 10 games.

“I know this team can hit better than .278, and I know a lot of

the players are better than their average indicates,” Crowther said.

“It’s just a matter of getting our confidence back and realizing that

we can play with the other teams in league.”

Crespi (11-2) -- ranked No. 7 in CIF Southern Section Division III

-- has had little trouble with its offense this season. The team’s

pitching has also been impressive.

The Celts got to Burroughs starter Josh Campbell early, scoring

three runs in the first inning on three hits, a walk and an error.

However, instead of shriveling under Crespi’s might, the Indians

came back to score two runs in the second inning. Following base hits

by Campbell and Chris Duran, and a walk by Brian Sheehey, Kyle

Williams blasted a bases-loaded double to right-center field that

scored two runs.

Crespi responded with three more runs in the second inning, led by

a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Trevor Plouffe and a two-run single

by Nick Santoro.

The Celts added an additional run in the fifth inning.

Burroughs pushed across a run in the third inning on a hit by

Devin Williams and a run in the seventh on a single by Mike Diaz and

two Crespi errors.

Devin Williams went two for four with a run scored and Duran

finished two for three with a walk and a run scored.