CV 9-10 All-Stars on wrong side of comeback

GLENDALE — Fortune was going the way of the Crescenta Valley 9-10 All-Stars in their Section 2 baseball tournament championship game on Tuesday afternoon.

But a dropped popup in the outfield during the bottom of the fourth inning may very well have signaled the turning point in the game, one in which Northridge rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat Crescenta Valley, 8-4, in Quartz Hill.

“That kinda switched the whole momentum,” said CV 9-10 Coach Dave Mulcahey. “When they got a little bit of momentum on their end, we just couldn’t stop them.

“They do have a really good team, they battled.”

Had CV prevailed, it would have forced an if-necessary contest today and that’s where things were headed as the locals build a 4-1 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth.

Jett Costibolo and Tyler Cendejas had two hits apiece for Crescenta Valley, but the biggest highlight came from Logan Neil, who belted a two-run triple and came around to score on the play after an error.

But in the bottom of the fourth, Northridge rallied with three runs to score the game at 4.

In the bottom of the fifth, Northridge’s good fortune continued, as it began the inning with a walk, an error and two hit batters en route to a four-run fifth that put the game at its final score.

“It was a tough game,” Mulcahey said. “[Northridge] came back and battled.”

Crescenta Valley, the District 16 champion, culminated a tournament in which it battled the whole way, as well, after losing its opener to Quartz Hill, 10-8. CV then staved off elimination with a win against Pasadena on Sunday and then gained a bit of revenge by eliminating Quartz Hill.