CV stars repeat feat
NORTHEAST GLENDALE — If the batters ahead of him could get on base, then Crescenta Valley Major Baseball All-Star player Colin Martin made sure to deliver in the clutch against Burbank.
After popping up with the bases loaded in his first at-bat, Martin strode confidently to the plate during his next plate appearance and delivered in style.
Martin belted a key three-run home run in the third inning to help Crescenta Valley register a 10-0 win against Burbank on Wednesday night in the District 16 Little League Tournament championship contest at Babe Herman Field. The game was called after the fourth inning because of the 10-run mercy rule.
Crescenta Valley, which won its second championship in a row, will now compete in the Section 2 Tournament. Crescenta Valley will face the District 17 representative in an opening-round contest at 1 p.m. Saturday at Sierra Madre Little League Field in the San Gabriel Valley.
Martin, a first baseman, homered to center field to give Crescenta Valley a 6-0 lead.
“Justin Rountree got a two-run hit before I came up and that helped set it up for me,” said Martin, who homered in Crescenta Valley’s victory against Jewel City/Jewish War Veterans on Monday in a winner’s-bracket contest at Montrose Park. “I went with the pitch and just tried to make contact.
“I saw it go over the fence and we had a big lead. It gives us confidence to know that everybody in our lineup can hit.”
Crescenta Valley took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Will Lombardo scored on a wild pitch. It then broke it open with a five-run third before scoring five times in the fourth. Lombardo and Greg Stupakis scored on wild pitches to raise Crescenta Valley’s lead to 7-0 in the fourth. Michael Gee drove in a run with a single to extend the lead to 8-0 before Patrick Moreno delivered a two-run single to close out the scoring.
“The third inning was big for us because the top of the order got on base,” Crescenta Valley Coach Frank Gangi said. “Then Colin came up and he hit the ball hard for the home run. That broke the game wide open. Now, we can reset for [the Section 2 Tournament] and we are in a fantastic position to align our pitching.”
Lombardo came within an out of pitching a complete game. He allowed one hit before Gangi brought in Andres Kim to get the final out.
Burbank Coach Mike Lockheimer said Crescenta Valley’s lineup posed constant problems.
“CV deserves all the credit in the world,” Lockheimer said. “They were the better team.
“It’s a privilege to get back to the championship game. It just wasn’t our night.”
