First published in the April 2 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
Only one team could walk away happy in a game where two undefeated Pacific League schools clashed. After an intense battle, the Burbank High School varsity baseball team was edged by visiting Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta, 2-1, on Wednesday.
The loss sent the Bulldogs (9-5 overall record, 6-1 in league) into third place behind undefeated Arcadia and Crescenta Valley.
Pitcher Josh DiPietro turned in a splendid performance but took the hard-luck loss after allowing just two runs (one earned) on three hits over six innings with two strikeouts. He also scored a run after reaching on a pair of walks at the plate.
Jose Avellaneda collected a pair of base hits and a stolen base, while Wyatt Lamarsna tallied a double for a third consecutive contest. Ben Baptiste registered a base hit and Jimmy Cafferty notched an RBI.
The Bulldogs had their season-best seven-game win streak snapped after losing to visiting Chatsworth High, 9-2, during the second weekend of the El Camino Real Tournament last Saturday. Lamarsna went 1-for-2 with a double, Daniel Neria collected a base hit and a pair of walks, and Baptiste registered a base hit. Ben Castillo and Avellaneda each scored once while DiPietro stole one base.
Burbank swept the league series over visiting Hoover High of Glendale with a 9-2 blowout last Friday. The Bulldogs outscored Hoover 20-2 in the two-game series while remaining undefeated in league play. Cafferty twirled a gem on the mound, striking out 12 batters and allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits over six strong innings while collecting an RBI at the plate. Julian Gonzalez finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI. Lamarsna doubled, stole a base, tallied an RBI and scored two runs, Jared Cantu produced two hits, two stolen bases and a run scored, and Avellaneda was credited with a base hit, two stolen bases, a run scored and an RBI. DiPietro posted two hits, a stolen base and a run scored, Danny Betancourt recorded two hits, a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored, and Adan DePaz and Dylan Robinson each had a base hit.
Burbank is scheduled to visit Eastside High of Lancaster in a nonleague game on Saturday, April 2, at 10 a.m.
BURROUGHS
In a tight pitcher’s duel, the Bears came up a run short in extra innings and lost to visiting Arcadia, 1-0, in a Pacific League game on Wednesday.
The Bears’ second straight league loss sent them into fourth in the league standings, one game behind intracity rival Burbank, while maintaining a three-game advantage over Pasadena.
Bears senior pitcher Gunnar Nichols kept Arcadia scoreless through seven strong innings before finding some trouble in the eighth. On his 106th pitch, Nichols racked up his final strikeout for an even dozen before departing with two runners on, one of which would ultimately score and decide the game in Arcadia’s favor. Nichols threw a first-pitch strike to 17 of the 27 batters he faced while allowing only three hits and three walks over 7.1 innings.
Sophomore Nate Chapman collected a double and a stolen base, junior Sebastian Zamora registered a base hit and a stolen base, and senior Lim Cebellos recorded a base hit. Junior Steven Suarez walked once and stole a base, while senior Andrew Chapman and junior Nick Forrest each reached on a walk.
JBHS lost to visiting Sylmar, 6-3, in a nonleague game last Saturday. The Bears previously lost an extra-inning battle to visiting Pasadena High, 3-0, last Friday. It was a scoreless battle until Pasadena posted three runs in the top of the eighth inning.
Burroughs (9-8 overall, 5-2 in league) is scheduled to visit Castaic in a nonleague game on Saturday, April 2, at 10 a.m.
