Hill too steep for CV this time
NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Even with a double-digit lead and three outs away from seeing the Burbank Junior All-Star baseball team advance to the Section 2 Tournament, Burbank Manager Mike Lockheimer wasn’t taking anything for granted Wednesday night.
He remained aware Crescenta Valley had the capability of mounting a comeback, having witnessed it Tuesday night.
When the final out was recorded Wednesday, Lockheimer breathed a sigh of relief.
“With a big lead, I still wasn’t comfortable,” Lockheimer said after Burbank recorded a 24-14 victory against Crescenta Valley in the District 16 if-necessary championship contest at Scholl Canyon Ball Fields. “CV’s got an outstanding team and they have a resilient bunch.
“I’m just glad we won and we can move on.”
Crescenta Valley scored four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning on Tuesday to record a 15-14 win against Burbank in the championship game at Tujunga Little League Fields to force Wednesday’s contest.
Burbank will face Encino in a first-round game of the Section 2 Tournament at 9 a.m. Saturday in Northridge.
Burbank received a grand slam apiece from Danny Porras in the third and Randy Catlett in the fifth to pull away from Crescenta Valley on Wednesday.
“Those proved to be big home runs,” Lockheimer said. “We knew it wouldn’t be over until we got that last out.”
Porras’ home run gave Burbank a 15-3 lead to highlight a nine-run third. Catlett’s grand slam made it 20-9.
Crescenta Valley Manager Chris Sanford said his team wasn’t discouraged despite trailing throughout.
“You can’t spell quit with CV,” Sanford said. “We just kept battling until the end.
“We have a young team and we stayed with it. Burbank has a heck of a team and Mike’s done a wonderful job.”
Garrett Dolan had a two-run single to give Burbank a 4-0 lead in the top of the first. Justin Rountree had a run-scoring single in the bottom of the first to make it 4-1.
Crescenta Valley scored six runs in the third to slice the deficit to 15-9. Rountree had a two-run single to make it 15-8 before teammate Frank Alsamman walked with the bases loaded to close to within 15-9.
A pair of bases-loaded walks brought Crescenta Valley to within 20-13 in the fifth.
Dolan, who finished with four hits, had a two-run single in the seventh to give Burbank a 24-13 advantage.
