La Crescenta wins in eight

Sergei Aftandelian

LA CRESCENTA -- Rivalries are steamed and brewed over time.

La Crescenta, the District 4 representative, and La Canada, the

District 1 entry, relished the opportunity to face each other

Wednesday night in the second-chance bracket final of the Southern

California State Tournament at Dunsmore Park.

Both teams entertained their loyal fans with a nail-biting

baseball game to remember, as the La Crescenta Babe Ruth 14-year-old

All-Stars rallied for a 5-4 win against their intercity rival.

La Crescenta (3-1) advanced to the championship game at 5 p.m.

today against District 2 representative Torrance (2-0).

If La Crescenta wins, an if-necessary game would follow.

But La Crescenta didn’t survive without a little controversy.

With one out in the bottom of the eighth, and the game tied at 4,

Jeremy Camacho doubled.

After an intentional walk to Brian King, a wild pitch advanced

the runners to second and third respectively.

After another intentional walk to Chris Ziegler loaded the bases,

the play that will forever link the teams together transpired.

The home-plate umpire called a balk on a 1-0 pitch from La Canada

pitcher David Hopkins, allowing Camacho to run home.

The umpire’s ruling was based on the fact that catcher Brian Clark

moved before the pitch was delivered, constituting a balk.

“It was a great game,” La Crescenta Coach Gilbert Camacho said.

“My boys never gave up.”

Said La Canada Coach Tim Trumbo: “It wasn’t the right way to win a

game.”