Cookson, CV slam Apaches
LA CRESCENTA — When her first-inning drive to deep left-center field hit off the top of the outfield fence for a double, Crescenta Valley High center fielder Hannah Cookson missed a three-run home run by mere inches.
By the end of the Falcons’ five-inning 18-7 Pacific League win over Arcadia, that near home run was the only thing the Falcons No. 3 hitter had missed.
Crescenta Valley’s 17-hit offensive explosion was keyed by an absolute monster day from Cookson, who hit two grand slams in the 12-run third inning to cap a three-for-three performance that included 10 runs batted in, three runs scored and 11 total bases.
“It feels great, I think we did good,” Cookson said. “I just tried to hit because usually when I think about hitting home runs, I don’t.”
In a game Arcadia actually led, 3-1, after the top of the second, Crescenta Valley (10-4, 4-2 in league) blew it open by batting around and scoring five runs in the bottom of the second before sending 15 batters to the dish in the third.
Hailey Cookson was two for two with four runs scored, Jessica Morena was two for four with an RBI, Allison Lacey finished one for one (three hit by pitches) with two RBI and three runs and pitcher Chloe Fairbrother helped her own cause by going three for three.
“I don’t think it’s a surprise. I knew coming in that we were going to be able to hit the ball,” Crescenta Valley interim Coach Mark Samford said.
Fairbrother singled up the middle to lead off the third with the Falcons holding a 6-4 lead. Both runners were safe when Arcadia pitcher Kenzie Grimes couldn’t field Brady Sanford’s sacrifice bunt in time to throw Fairbrother out at second and Hailey Cookson singled one batter later to load the bases.
Lacey singled to left field to drive in a run, bringing up Hannah Cookson, who made it 11-4 with a blast to left-center field. The Falcons started the rally anew with a Morena double followed by a one-out single by Taylor Hill. Morena and Hill came home on a two-base throwing error on Whitney Craig’s grounder to third base and Fairbrother walked before the Apaches recorded the second out of the frame on an infield popup.
Hailey Cookson singled to drive in Craig and Lacey took another pitch off her calf to load the bases once again for Hannah Cookson. This time Cookson pulled a rocket to right field to put the game well out of reach at 17-4.
Arcadia (9-5, 4-2) scored all of its runs via the long ball, including solo shots from Grimes in the second and third innings. Katelyn Morreale hit a two-run homer to put the Apaches up, 3-1, in the second and Izzy Mejia hit a three-run bomb to pull Arcadia closer in the fifth.