Erik BoalEmili Escamilla and Tatiana Sanchez are...
Erik Boal
Emili Escamilla and Tatiana Sanchez are the only two athletes from
the Burbank Heartbreakers represented on the 13-player
Burbank-Tujunga 9- and 10-year-old All-Star roster.
Fortunately for Burbank-Tujunga Coach Ray Wilson, he only needed
half of the dynamic duo to defeat Jewel City on Friday at Scholl
Canyon Park.
Escamilla tossed a five-inning perfect game, striking out all 15
batters she faced, leading Burbank-Tujunga to an 11-0 mercy-rule
victory in the winner’s-bracket final of the Little League District
16 Tournament.
“That was just phenomenal,” said Wilson of his 10-year-old
right-hander, who tossed 69 pitches -- 51 for strikes -- and went to
a three-ball count just twice in leading Burbank-Tujunga (2-0) into
the 5 p.m. final Monday at Scholl Canyon.
“I’ve managed [Tujunga Junior Baseball All-Star] Andy Weissberg
[who hit more than 20 home runs last year at the 11- and 12-year-old
level] the past few seasons, and I’ve seen him do some great things,
but [Emili’s performance] is right up there with the best I’ve seen.
“And she did it so effortlessly.”
When asked if he had seen a pitcher demonstrate the combination of
control and velocity that Escamilla showcased Friday, Jewel City
Coach Steve Kong said, “other than my daughter [Glenn-Hayley], no.”
Unfortunately for Kong, his daughter was vacationing in Hawaii,
putting the pitching responsibility on the shoulders of 10-year-old
Samantha Buliavac.
Buliavac was up to the challenge for one inning, but she walked
two batters, hit a batter and surrendered a two-out, run-scoring
single to Escamilla in the second, resulting in a 3-0 deficit.
Escamilla added a triple, scored twice and drove in two runs, but
it was her efficiency in the circle that silenced a Jewel City (1-1)
lineup that scored 33 runs -- including four hits from Priscilla
Carrasco, and three each from Sophie Brady and Kaitlyn Williams -- in
Thursday’s opening-round victory against Crescenta Valley (1-1).
“When I go out and pitch, I’m more comfortable [when I hit],” said
Escamilla, whose previous-best outing was a seven-inning no-hitter
with 20 strikeouts in a Burbank Park and Rec contest last year.
“When I started getting into my rhythm, I felt really good. And I
started knowing [that I had a perfect game] about halfway through.
“Throwing my change-up helped, because they weren’t sure if they
wanted to swing.”
Said Wilson, who received two hits and three runs batted in from
Sanchez, a run-scoring single from Jordan Green, and hits from
Delanie Dryden and Kayla Miller: “I feel pretty confident [with
Escamilla and Miller pitching] that we control our own destiny.”
*--*
BOX SCORE
*--*
*--*
Burb.-Tuj. 0 0 0 0 0 -- 11 7 0
Jewel City 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0 0 2
*--*
*--*
* Game called because of 10-run mercy rule
*--*
*--*
Burb.-Tuj. IP H R ER BB K
Escamilla 5 0 0 0 0 15
*--*
*--*
Jewel City IP H R ER BB K
Buliavac 5 7 11 9 8 9
*--*
*--*
WP-- Escamilla (1-0).
LP-- Buliavac (0-1).
3B: BT-Escamilla.
SB: BT-Dryden 2, Green 2, Escamilla, McCann, A. Miller.
*--*
*--*
BOX SCORE
*--*
*--*
Burb.-Tuj. 0 3 0 3 5 -- 11 7 0
Jewel City 0 0 0 0 0 -- 0 0 2
*--*
*--*
* Game called because of 10-run mercy rule
*--*
*--*
Burb.-Tuj. IP H R ER BB K
Escamilla 5 0 0 0 0 15
*--*
*--*
Jewel City IP H R ER BB K
Buliavac 5 7 11 9 8 9
*--*
*--*
WP-- Escamilla (1-0).
LP-- Buliavac (0-1).
3B: BT-Escamilla.
SB: BT-Dryden 2, Green 2, Escamilla, McCann, A. Miller.
*--*