La Crescenta wins Section Championship
Saro Sarkisian
COVINA -- The Crescenta Sports Assn. Pony Tournament Baseball team was
flying high after winning nine straight games, having already qualified
for the Pony Regional Tournament, and facing a team it had already shut
out for thePony Section Championship.
La Crescenta, made up of 11- and 12-year-olds, committed eight errors
and struggled early, but it exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the
fifth inning to defeat Charter Oak, 12-9, and win the Pony Section Title.
La Crescenta will likely face Long Beach at 5 p.m. today in Lynwood in
the first round of the double-elimination Pony Regional Tournament.
“We’re not a great hitting team, we’re all pitching and defense, so
the fact we had eight errors is unbelievable,” La Crescenta Coach Mike
Padula said. “I told them, ‘Don’t quit, take it one run at a time and
believe in yourself.’ ”
Charter Oak scored three runs in the top of the first inning,
including a run-scoring single by Michael Estrada.
After Joe Depinto scored a run in the bottom of the first for La
Crescenta, Nick Padula blasted a two-run scoring double to left-center
field in the bottom of the second.
Charter Oak had a 7-4 lead after the top of the fifth, but in the
bottom of the inning, La Crescenta erupted for seven runs.
Depinto drove in two runs with a triple to right field. Chris Stroh
hit a run-scoring double to left-center field over center fielder Michael
Johnson, who slammed into the wall after the play and was carried off the
field, with an injured right foot and ankle.
“We just told ourselves we need to score a lot of runs,” Stroh said.
“And we did real good.”
Both La Crescenta and Charter Oak used four pitchers, and Charter Oak
allowed 10 walks.
“None of the kids hung their heads if they struck out or made an
error, because we are a veteran team” La Crescenta assistant coach Dave
Cater said. “It was no big deal for them, because they knew we had
pitching, depth and hitting.”
BOX SCORE
Charter Oak*3*0*2*0*2*1*1*--*9*9*2
La Crescenta*1*2*1*0*7*1*x*--*12*8*8
Charter Oak*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K
Breaux*2*3*3*1*5*2
Hendrickson*2*1*1*2*1*1
Munsey*1*7*5*4*4*0
Vincent*1*1*1*1*0*0
Total*6*12*10*8*10*3
La Crescenta*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K
McGregor*2*3*2*4*1*2
Costanzo*2*2*1*2*1*1
Elliot*1*2*1*1*0*0
Depinto*2*2*1*2*2*1
Total*7*9*5*9*4*4
WP-Depinto (n/a).
LP-Munsey (n/a).
2B: LC-Padula, Stroh, Mier; CO-Estrada, Breaux.
3B: LC-Depinto.
SB: LC-Depinto 2; CO-Johnson, Estrada, Breaux, Spong.