Burbank Cubs need something extra to defeat Foothill Two Guys
Burbank v. Foothill
GLENDALE — It took nine innings, but the Burbank Cubs ultimately prevailed in their District 16 junior baseball game with the Foothill Two Guys Saturday at the Scholl Canyon Ball Fields.
Brandon Ortega’s single allowed for pinch runner Matthew Lungaro to take second base on a passed ball, and an unfortunate error by Foothill led to the game-winning run.
“Great game,” Burbank Coach Michael Hooper said after the 4-3 thrilling victory. “It was equal on both sides; neither team was giving up anything.”
Burbank’s leadoff hitter Anthon Prather was at the plate when the passed ball occurred and it was his grounder to short that caused the error.
Prather and the Cubs will play Glendale Jewel City-Jewish War Veterans Tuesday at 5 p.m. The Bears defeated Andy’s of Crescenta Valley, 11-4, in the ensuing game.
The Cubs rode solid pitching and all-around good play, allowing just two hits through six innings.
Two Guys was able to get on the scoreboard in the seventh inning, and then some, as they tied the game at 3 on three hits.
Conner Rodriguez, who started the game on the mound, and came back to pitch in the eight inning for Foothill, started the seventh-inning rally with a double, plating Anthony Schanen. Cristo Arzoumanian then hit a clutch single to center, scoring Rodriguez and Braden Fabricante.
The suddenly-tied ballgame prompted a discussion on whether the contest would continue until a winner was determined or resume another day due to time constraints.
Well, roughly two hours and 30 minutes after the first pitch was thrown, a winner was determined.
“You don’t see too many games go to nine innings at this level,” Foothill Coach Sean Rodriguez said. “Both teams played hard and it was a good game all around. Our kids didn’t give up, and they kept putting the ball in play.”
Hooper echoed his counterpart’s sentiments.
“They earned it,” he said of the seventh-inning rally. “They tied the game up by staying in it and hitting the ball.”
As one would expect in an extra-inning affair, the two squads finished with eerily similar numbers: five hits apiece, a difference of one walk (Foothill’s six to Burbank’s seven), a difference of one error (Foothill’s three to Burbank’s two) and both coaches used four pitchers.
Burbank’s Austin Oberlander started the game for the Cubs and pitched four stellar innings, giving up one hit, three walks and no runs.
He received run support in the third inning from Danny Porras’ ground ball that allowed Ortega and Prather to score.
Scott Breslin’s single in the sixth inning gave the Cubs their third run, which proved crucial as Two Guys would plate three in the seventh. Breslin pitched two perfect innings in the eight and ninth innings, and picked up the win.