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Burroughs baseball reaches top of Pacific League

ARCADIA — It was a dogpile 18 years in the making.

Moments after Burroughs High starting pitcher Danny Bustos induced a harmless grounder from host Arcadia to end a 4-0 Pacific League victory for the visitors, there was a wild celebration near the pitcher’s mound.

The win not only capped another wonderful effort from Bustos versus the Apaches, but the triumph clinched Burroughs’ first-ever Pacific League championship and first league crown since a 1997 Foothill League title.

PHOTOS: Burroughs wins first Pacific League title with 4-0 win at Arcadia

“It’s the first time in 18 years for this program and it’s great,” said Burroughs Coach Craig Sherwood, an assistant coach to Jose Valle on the 1997 league championship squad. “I was lucky enough to have been here 18 years ago along with [current pitching coach Tony Sandoval], who was a big part of that team.

“I always thought that Burroughs had a lot of talent. It’s just a matter of focusing it and it’s been a magical year. I’m really proud of these guys.”

With the victory, CIF Southern Section Division II sixth-ranked Burroughs (22-4 overall, 12-1 in league) will now close out the season Thursday in the city rivalry game versus Burbank (12-11, 7-6). The Indians had clinched a share of the title on Monday in a win against Muir and claimed an outright crown Tuesday.

With due difference to Burroughs ace Thomas Wilson, perhaps there was no better option on the bump than Bustos.

The right-hander needed only 64 pitches in Burroughs’ 9-0 victory against Arcadia (13-10-1, 7-6) in Burbank on April 17.

On Tuesday, the senior attacked the strike zone and was again both masterful and economical in needing only 69 pitches to notch a shutout.

Bustos scattered four hits, fanned four, stranded three Apaches and kept Arcadia 0 for five with runners in scoring position with a strikeout and a double play.

“They’re really aggressive hitters,” Bustos said of Arcadia. “So, me avoiding throwing balls and working around the strike zone plus them swinging early in the count really got some quick and early outs.”

Bustos only reached a three-ball count once and ran into perhaps the most danger in the third inning when Arcadia’s Loren Iwasaki singled to lead off and advanced to second on a fielding error in the outfield.

Bustos buckled down and recorded three infield outs to escape the jam.

In the first inning, Burroughs’ defense backed up its pitcher with an inning-ending 8-6-5 double play started by center fielder Aidan Anding, who tracked down a flyball and then began a relay to throw out Arcadia’s John Woo, who was trying to advance to third.

The pitching and defensive effort totaled up to Burroughs’ ninth shutout this season.

“It comes down to pitching, it’s always come down to pitching,” Sherwood said. “We have a great 1-2 punch. I’ve never had two great pitchers as I’ve had this year in 35 years.”

As for Burroughs’ offense, there were a few issues.

Burroughs finished two for 12 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight base runners.

Even so, Burroughs scored all the offense it needed in the fourth inning when Max DeAmicis connected on a bases-loaded single to left that plated teammates Ryan Galan and Max Haddad and gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.

The very next inning, Burroughs added two more runs on a single from Haddad that scored Galan and on a throwing error that allowed Anding to come home.

“I just [stuck] with our approach to let the ball travel and go right side and it worked today,” said Galan, who finished three for four with two runs scored. “Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but it’s baseball and that’s how it goes.”

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