Krise pitches Falcons to tournament title

Erik Boal

NORTHEAST GLENDALE -- Ah yes, the benefits of having a deep pitching

staff.

That was the luxury again being enjoyed by the Crescenta Valley High

baseball team in Wednesday night’s Blue Division championship game of the

39th annual Babe Herman Tournament, sponsored by the West Glendale

Gateway Kiwanis Club.

With the Falcons scoring 48 runs in their first three games in support

of starters Trevor Bell, Andy Marrero and Adam Schaller, Coach Phil

Torres was afforded the opportunity to send ace Kris Krise -- who was

pitching on five days rest -- to the mound against West Torrance.

And the right-hander continued his dominance, scattering three hits

and striking out eight batters as CV posted a 2-0 victory at Stengel

Field to win its fifth tournament crown and first since 1999.

“We wanted to play two quality, playoff-level teams in Peninsula and

West Torrance and so the way I look at it, it’s like getting an extra

playoff game,” said Torres, whose squad was one of two tournament

champions, along with Arcadia, which posted an 8-2 victory against

Hesperia on Wednesday night in the Red Division title game.

“Kris pitched really, really well and everybody contributed in some

way.”

Krise (5-1) -- who was selected the player of the game for CV (16-1)

-- was far from alone in his efforts, especially in the field, where Bell

and first baseman Jimmy Goffredo protected the senior’s shutout bid more

than once.

In the fifth inning, Krise gave up two long drives to straightaway

center field, both of which were hauled in by Bell -- the tournament’s

most valuable pitcher -- up against the fence. And although both of those

outs were critical, they paled in importance to the one recorded by

Goffredo in the sixth. With one out and a runner on second, West

Torrance (11-6) pitcher Joel Weeks (4-1) hit a hard ground ball to the

right side, which Goffredo kept in the infield by making a diving stop

and then flipping to Krise in time for the out.

Krise then struck out Tony Asaro on three pitches to strand the runner

at third.

The Falcons -- winners of 13 straight -- gave Krise all the offense he

needed in the fourth, sparked by back-to-back doubles from Colt Forsythe

and Brett Atkins.

Forsythe -- the tournament’s most valuable player -- lined a one-out

double, the first of two for the junior, down the left-field line. Atkins

then drove in courtesy-runner Mike Uyemura and eventually scored on a

wild pitch after being sacrificed to third by Goffredo.

“I’m in a little bit of a groove right now, but when you’re playing on

a good team where people always back you up, it’s easy to hit like this,”

said Forsythe, who raised his average to .453 (24 for 53) following CV’s

four-game tournament stint.

“But it’s not just me, everyone comes out here and does their best.

Even if they’re banged up, they tough it out and do it for the team.”

Said Torres: “Colt was just on fire. Everything he hit found grass

this week.”

Bell, Aaron McGuinness and Nigel Orozco all had hits for CV, which

returns to Pacific League action at 7 p.m. April 19 at Arcadia.

BOX SCORE

CV*0*0*0*2*0*0*0*--*2*6*0

West Torrance*0*0*0*0*0*0*0*--*0*3*1

CV*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K

Krise*7*0*0*3*0*8

West Torrance*IP*R*ER*H*BB*K

Weeks*7*2*2*6*0*5

WP-Krise (5-1).

LP-Weeks (4-1).

2B: CV-Forsythe 2, Atkins.

SB: CV-Orozco; WT-Fendley.