Crescenta Valley held in check

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- If nothing else, the Crescenta Valley High baseball team got a moral victory Saturday when Troy Prasertsit broke up a no-hitter in the top of the seventh inning.

It was far from enough for the Falcons in the championship game of the 47th annual Babe Herman Tournament, as Chatsworth piled on for a 12-2 victory at Stengel Field.

Prasertsit’s soft line drive that came with two strikes just found its way past the Chancellors diving first baseman, and sparked CV’s only positive inning of the evening.

Joe Torres doubled home Cole Currie, who reached on a walk for the Falcons’ first run of the night. Prasertist capped the scoring when he scored on a passed ball a few pitches later.

“No one wants to get no-hit, I don’t think that’s the whole reason you show up tonight, but it was nice,” Crescenta Valley Coach Phil Torres said. “A couple guys had nice at bats and it will pay off for us somewhere down the line.”

It spoiled Chatsworth pitcher Nick Milone’s bid for a no-hitter. The right hander settled for a two-hit, four-strikeout victory that included seven walks.

“I think [Milone] did a good job keeping them off balance,” said Chatsworth Coach Tom Meusborn, whose team won in its first year in the tournament. “He was throwing three pitches for strikes — his fastball, his curveball and his change up — when you do that at this level you’re going to get some guys out.”

There weren’t too many more positives for CV (16-6) to take away from the game, as the Falcons committed an error and went through four pitchers that combined to give up eight walks, 11 hits and 12 runs and hit seven batters.

“[We had] some young, inexperienced pitching and they’re a very good team,” Torres said. “If you don’t have an experienced pitcher, they’re going to beat you up. That’s a lot of hit batters and a lot of walks.”

Chatsworth (19-3-1) got its first two runners of the game aboard on a four-pitch walk and hit batter. They both came around to score on an infield single from Ricky Obando and a run-scoring groundout from Chris DeVito.

The Chancellors did some more damage in the third inning, another frame that started with a four-pitch walk, as DeVito quickly drove in the runner for a 3-0 lead with a double into the left-center field gap.

A bouncing single from Chatsworth’s Hayden Tsutsui, followed by another hit batter, loaded the bases for the Chancellors.

Justin Vega drove in DeVito and Tsutsui for a 5-0 advantage and an error reloaded the bases for Jason Karkenny, whose slow rolling grounder to right field scored two more to push the lead to 7-0.

Chatsworth took a 9-0 lead in its half of the fourth on three hits, a walk and hit batter.

Vega drove in Tsustui, who reached on an infield single, with a line single to right field and a single from Jared Holley scored Vega.

The Chancellors increased their lead to double digits in the fifth when Jerry Ismerio’s infield single scored Obando, who bashed a lead-off double and moved to third on a walk and hit batter.

“We were able to get on base and some guys got some key hits for us,” Meusborn said. “It’s a good team win for us. They’re an outstanding team, we were just fortunate tonight.”

The Falcons, on the other hand, couldn’t capitalize on their seven free passes. Their best chance came in the top of the third when Terry Ha and Joe Torres drew consecutive walks to start the inning.

Danger quickly subsided for the Chancellors, as Ha was thrown out on an early steal and a routine pop and ground out ended the inning.

CV drew two more walks in the top of the fourth, but couldn’t log a hit, as runners were stranded at second and third.

“As soon as we walk out of here this game’s over, we’ve got to get back to league,” Coach Torres said. “I wish we would have played better and gave them a better look, but now it’s over and we’ve got league games to worry about.”