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.