Win for Burroughs High baseball against Burbank puts it in playoffs

BURBANK — It could have easily unraveled.

With the Burroughs High baseball team leading Burbank by one run entering the bottom of the third inning of the teams’ Pacific League finale, Indians’ senior ace pitcher Cole Meyer proceeded to load the bases.

PHOTOS: Burroughs vs. Burbank rival Pacific League baseball

But rather than losing his grip, the submarine right-hander promptly struck out the next three batters he faced to end the inning and preserve the narrow lead.

“Great players do great things in great situations,” Burroughs Coach Craig Sherwood said.

Meyer was pretty great for the Indians on Thursday night, leading them to a 5-0 victory at rival Burbank.

Over six innings, Meyer struck out seven batters to just two walks and surrendered five hits.

The win enabled the Indians (14-13, 7-7 in league), to finish fourth in league and clinch the final automatic CIF Southern Section playoff berth.

“I think Cole had great stuff tonight,” Sherwood said. “Because he battles, because his intensity is so hot and heavy, I’d hate to face him in any situation. He’s going to come through. All he knows is how to succeed and how to win.”

For the Bulldogs (8-15, 5-9), their best chance to pull even or ahead was in the third when shortstop Cameron Briggs reached first on an error and Ryan Porras walked. Second baseman Camden Palmisano then got on with a single to left, loading the bases, before running into Meyer, who looked unfazed.

“That tends to be writing on the wall kind of thing,” Burbank Coach Bob Hart said.

Stranding three in the third, Burbank would have runners in scoring positions only two more times.

“I don’t think our approach was where it needed to be,” Hart added. “We talk about situational hitting all the time, having a home-run swing. With that many guys on base, we just need to put the ball in play. A fly ball scores a guy. A lot of good things can happen. Our approach got caught up in the emotion, and that’s the byproduct of a young team.

Burroughs which went up, 1-0, in the top of the third inning following an RBI-single from senior Cameron Rodriguez, tallied four more insurance runs over the next four innings. It was a bit of a breakthrough after Burbank left-hander starter Ryan Porras had sat down seven of the first Indian batters, striking five, to open the game.

“We were anticipating on seeing him tonight,” Sherwood said. “so we worked on going the opposite way and everything. I think he was a little bit off and on. I think we got out of our comfort zone in the beginning. Then we got back into it, and once his pitch count started going up, we were a little more effective.”

In the fourth, right fielder Thomas Wilson scored on a double steal. Junior Max Deamicis and Anthony Robles each brought in a run of doubles in the fifth and sixth.

Still, Porras, who lasted 4 1/3 innings and finished with nine strikeouts.

“I thought he was outstanding,” Hart said of the junior starter. “He did a real good job.”

While Burroughs will advance to the playoffs, the loss marks the end of the season for Burbank, which finished in fifth place in the league two games back of the Indians. The Bulldogs were co-league champions a year ago.

But Hart signed a promising future for the program, as the Bulldogs return every starter except Palmisano, a senior.