CV gets blanked to open Section

GLENDALE — Down to its last out, the Crescenta Valley 10-11 Softball All-Star team looked for a spark.

Trailing by a large deficit, Crescenta Valley wished to steer clear from having a perfect game thrown against it during an opening-round contest of the Section 2 Tournament against Quartz Hill on Saturday morning.

Crescenta Valley thwarted Quartz Hills’ perfect-game bid, though it suffered a 13-0 loss in a game called after four innings because of the 10-run mercy rule at Canyon Country Little League Field.

Crescenta Valley, which captured the District 16 championship, got a single from Arleth Lima to break up the no hitter in the fourth. Teammate Amanda Chookhachian then registered a single, but that proved to be it for Crescenta Valley.

Quartz Hill, which won the District 51 title, used four pitchers to cool off Crescenta Valley.

“We put the ball in play and only struck out four times,” said Crescenta Valley Coach Wade Oshiro, whose team will meet Quartz Hill at noon today in the championship game at the same venue. “Our players were kind of nervous coming into the game because playing [in this tournament] is brand new to a lot of them.

“Quartz Hill has a very good team. We were just not able to score. We hope to do a little better against them [today]. Our goal will be to hang around with them and limit some of our walks.”

Quartz Hill scored five runs in the first inning to take a 5-0 lead. It then scored six runs in the third to make it 11-0 before closing out the scoring with a pair of runs in the fourth.

Oshiro said Crescenta Valley will look to regroup and force an if-necessary title game, which would begin at 5:15 p.m. Monday.

“We’ve now seen them,” Oshiro said. “We asked our players after the game if they think they are still unhittable and our players think we can hit them.

“It’s about enjoying the experience because they’ve earned the right to be here.”

Wade Oshiro said Therese Oshiro, his daughter, will likely start today’s game in the circle.