Crescenta Valley High baseball beats itself with seven errors

GLENDALE — On a day in which fellow Pacific League rivals Arcadia and Pasadena high picked up inspiring wins in Babe Herman Tournament action, the Crescenta Valley baseball team was not so impressive.

The Falcons committed seven errors and beat themselves as much as did Los Angeles City section squad Cleveland High, which picked up a 13-5 victory Saturday evening at Stengel Field.

While Arcadia topped area rival La Salle, 4-0, and Pasadena defeated host Birmingham, 3-0, the Falcons (3-3) are likely out of tournament championship contention, but will look to rebound Monday versus Birmingham at 7 p.m. back at Stengel.

Maybe no inning typified the Falcons’ woes more than the first, when the Cavaliers (6-4) sent eight batters to the plate and scored five runs on five hits and one crucial error.

Cleveland’s lineup immediately jumped on sophomore starting pitcher Brian Gadsby, as the first three batters reached base via two singles and a walk.

While Gadsby picked off one Cavalier to leave runners on the corners with one out, Cleveland’s Harley Faye lined a single into center for the first run of the game.

The hit was followed by a bouncer up the middle from Peyton Long that a hustling Faye beat on a high throw as the Falcons attempted a fielder’s choice at second.

With the commotion at the bag, Cleveland’s Jack Hartman scored from second to increase his squad’s lead to 2-0.

The fielder’s choice was followed by a single from Reno Rankin that loaded the bases.

Despite all those issues, Gadsby appeared to catch a break when the side-armer coaxed a perfect comebacker and began the process for an inning-ending 1-2-3 double play.

Unfortunately for the Falcons, while the out at home was recorded, the subsequent throw from the plate to first base sailed wildly into foul territory near the right-field line.

By the time the ball was retrieved, three Cavaliers scored in putting the home team up, 5-0.

In every inning Cleveland scored a run, there always seemed to be an aiding error.

The Cavaliers scored a run in the third, two runs in the fourth and two runs in the fifth thanks in part to clutch hitting and four errors.

For its part, Crescenta Valley didn’t quit, responding with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings on run-scoring singles from Johnny Psaltis (scored Bryan Wang) and Joe Torres (plated Austin Brines).

The Falcons’ biggest inning came in the top of the sixth with the visitors trailing, 10-2.

Crescenta Valley scored three runs versus tiring Cavaliers’ starting pitcher Steven Perez on RBI singles from Psaltis, Nolan Rea and Adrian Damla that scored Wang, Michael Russo and Rea.

Eventually, Cleveland skipper Greg Venger pulled his right-hander in favor of reliever Ben Kaser, who entered with two on and two out.

Kaser restored order by inducing a pop up to escape the inning.

Cleveland added two final runs in the bottom of the sixth, with one coming on a bases-loaded walk and another on a throwing error.

Overall, the Cavaliers scored six runs just on Falcons’ throwing errors.