Crescenta Valley baseball’s memorable run comes to close in semifinals at Mission Viejo

MISSION VIEJO — For the better part of 30 games, Crescenta Valley High’s baseball team capitalized on tremendous pitching, staunch defense and timely hitting to turn in one of the program’s greatest seasons.

But under the sweltering sun in Orange County, opportunities were lost in the form of two errors and three unearned runs.

It equated to the conclusion of one of the more memorable seasons in Falcons’ lore, as Crescenta Valley was defeated by host Mission Viejo, 4-2, on Tuesday afternoon in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs.

PHOTOS: Crescenta Valley ousted from playoffs by Mission Viejo

“I didn’t even talk to them about this game, just this year,” said Falcons Coach Phil Torres of what he told his players following the contest. “They had a great year.”

The great year that was saw the Falcons (25-6) advance to the CIF semifinals for the first time since 1998.

On Tuesday, the Falcons started things on the right note, taking a 2-0 lead against the Diablos (25-10), who will play Chino Hills in Saturday’s championship, after the top of the first inning.

But Mission Viejo scored an unearned run in the third and two more in the fifth to turn the game for good.

“You can’t give a team that good extra outs,” Torres said.

Crescenta Valley had ace Brian Gadsby on the mound, as the right-hander bound for UCLA turned in another strong outing in the last game of one of the finest careers in area history.

However, after earning complete game wins against Ventura (4-0 score) and Trabuco Hills (5-1), he had his toughest outing Tuesday. He went the distance (six innings) and allowed four runs (one earned) on 87 pitches with 10 hits allowed, no walks and no strikeouts.

“I thought he was outstanding. He locates the ball really well,” Diablos Coach Chris Ashbach said of Gadsby. “I thought we did a great job of just making him work. I don’t think we had any strikeouts. That’s all we were trying to do is make things happen.”

And the Diablos, who took second place in the Sea View League, did just that, which proved extra taxing considering the heat.

“Heat’s heat. They’re dealing with it, too. It’s not like they were turning on beams to make it hotter for us or anything,” Gadsby said. “Heat was a factor, but hats off to them.

“The goal was just to come right at them and they hit really well.”

But the hitting was all Crescenta Valley to open the game.

Ryan Lynch, who had two of Crescenta Valley’s six hits, singled to open the game.

He was replaced on the bases by Adrian Damla on a fielder’s choice and Weston Walker, who was also two for three, singled aboard to follow.

After Damla and Walker moved to second and third on a wild pitch, Jimmy Smiley clutched up for a two-out single off the glove of the second baseman to propel the Falcons to a 2-0 lead.

But the offense waned thereafter. Lynch led off the third with a single, but it was followed by a 4-6-3 double play. Another leadoff single by Walker in the fourth was erased by a 5-4-3 double play thanks to a phenomenal pick by the drawn-in third baseman.

It was made all the more heartbreaking considering Brett Klein followed with a double and was stranded.

Nico Arredondo led off the fifth with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.

But Mission Viejo’s third baseman robbed Lynch of another hit with a diving stop of a line drive. Damla then drew a walk, but the threat was once again quelled.

“We hit the ball hard a few times, but their third baseman made some good plays and those double plays hurt,” Torres said, “and their pitcher did a great job.”

The pitcher was sophomore Tanner Bibee, who went the distance, allowing six hits and one walk, while striking out four. He also retired the final seven Falcons in order.

“I thought he was incredible,” Ashbach said of Bibee. “Especially after the first, he could’ve got rattled, but he came out there and did everything he absolutely could’ve.”

Mission Viejo began its comeback in the third.

Despite a leadoff double and a bunt single, Gadsby got the next two outs before an error at second base allowed a run to score. The good news was that on the play, the Falcons got another runner trying to score at home to cling to the 2-1 lead.

Gadsby got out of a second-and-third jam in the fourth before the fateful fifth.

With one out, a Diablo reached on another error before an infield single in which the shortstop and third baseman collided while going for the dribbler. With runners at first and second, Thomas Byrne tied the game on a single to center field. Then with two outs, a Tyler Odekirk single scored the go-ahead run.

A leadoff double by Zack Sharpley in the sixth followed by a slow one-out chopper up the middle from Michael Salorio brought the score to 4-2.

Bibee then retired the Falcons in order in the seventh to send the Diablos to the finals and Crescenta Valley home at the conclusion of a remarkable season.

“It’s just been a roller coaster,” Torres said. “They’re a good group of kids. They’re community should be real proud of them. They represented their school well.”

Crescenta Valley is set to graduate 11 seniors, including starters Smiley, Weston Walker, Chase Walker, Klein and Gadsby.

“It’s been crazy, it’s been fun,” said Gadsby, the reigning All-Area Baseball Player of the Year, who’s tied with Dustin Emmons for the program record with 29 wins and went 4-1 over the last two postseasons with five complete games. “This is a team you wish for. Coming to the semis is something special and I wouldn’t want to do it with any other team.”