The Burbank and Burroughs high school varsity softball teams squared off at Olive Park in another edition of the crosstown rivalry, with the Bulldogs looking to spoil the Bears’ unbeaten league run.
Behind strong pitching from starter Maddison Kellog and clutch offense from Kara Valencia, Burbank toppled previously undefeated Burroughs 5-3 in an intense Pacific League matchup on April 17.
“They were excited to play,” Burbank coach Melissa Sanchez said. “I am very confident in our team and normally we come up a little short [against Burroughs] but we played a full seven innings of our softball. We played like a family and we took it.”
Starting in the circle, Kellogg tossed a complete game with 14 strikeouts to earn the win. The junior allowed six hits, five walks and three earned runs.
“I had confidence in myself,” Kellogg said. “I am a rise ball pitcher, so everything goes up. They couldn’t touch anything because it was rising. It’s my [go-to] pitch and it works. I throw it at least three times per batter.”
Offensively, Valencia shined at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, a triple to plate two additional RBIs and scored an extra run. Valencia kicked off the scoring with a two-run homer off Burroughs starting pitcher senior Emerson Coblentz in the first inning. In the third inning, she added two RBIs with a triple and later scored on a two-out error.
“I was looking for any pitch that I didn’t want, honestly, because that’s what they were going to throw me,” Valencia said about her homer at bat. “I tried to keep my eye on it as best as possible, and with two strikes I knew I had to pull through. It’s my senior night and I just wanted to make myself proud of it.”
Kellogg was perfect through the first two innings before allowing a leadoff double to Burroughs freshman Sophie Rangsiyawong in the top of the third inning. She retired the next two batters on strikes before an errant throw allowed Burroughs’ leadoff hitter, junior Alyssa Morales, to reach first and advance Rangsiyawong to third. Kellogg struck out the next batter to end the inning unscathed with runners stranded on the corners.
Coblentz struggled through the first three innings, allowing all five runs to score on five hits and one walk. She threw 69 of her 108 pitches during this span but improved thereafter, retiring 12 of the last 13 batters she faced. Coblentz’s final line comprised four strikeouts and five runs (four earned) in a complete-game effort.
“It was an emotional night,” Coblentz said. “I was nervous the first [three] innings because it’s a lot of pressure but after that, I zoned in and did what I had to do. My only regret is I wish I did that earlier.”
The Bears’ offense struggled to find its momentum against Kellogg, leaving 10 runners on base despite their typically strong performance. Kellogg effectively contained Burroughs’ No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 hitters — senior Gizelle Rangsiyawong, junior Chloe Centeno and senior Phoebe Spangler — who collectively went 3-for-10 with just one extra-base hit.
Burroughs scored its first runs in the fifth inning. Senior Eliza Torres reached base after being hit by a pitch and advanced to third on a single by Morales. She then scored on a wild pitch, while sophomore Karlee Earl drove in the second run with a base hit. Kellogg quickly regained control, striking out three of the next four batters to limit the damage and end the inning.
“We have to figure it out because the last two weeks we’ve been getting behind in every game,” Burroughs coach Doug Nicol said. “We were able to come back against Arcadia, we were able to come back against [Crescenta Valley High School], and today we almost came back against [Kellogg], but she’s a quality pitcher and you can’t put yourself in those positions against a quality pitcher like her.”
In the bottom of the seventh, Burroughs ignited a late rally when Gizelle Rangsiyawong hit a one-out double. With Cento grounding out to the second baseman, the Bears were down to their final out with Spangler up to bat. She kept the game alive with an RBI single, narrowing the deficit to two runs. Kellogg then walked senior Alyssa Rosales, allowing the tying run to reach base. However, she promptly struck out the final batter, securing the win and clinching a league victory.
“We’ll learn from it but it’s just one game in the scheme of things,” Nicol said. “We’ll come back and we’ll get them again on Monday so we’re looking forward to it.”
Burbank freshman Chloe Updike went 2-for-3 with a double and a single, while senior Belinda Lujano contributed with a walk and a run.
Burroughs (18-5 overall, 6-1 in league) and Burbank (11-10, 5-2) will finish competing in the Pacific League Tournament next week before the CIF Southern Section playoff brackets are released on April 27 at 10 a.m.
BURBANK
The Bulldogs were shut out at Crescenta Valley High of La Crescenta 4-0 in a league game on April 11.
Kellogg pitched a complete game with eight strikeouts, while junior Samantha Cafferty went 3-for-3. Sophomore Kayla Orozco finished with a double and a walk, senior captain Eliza Bowren tallied a base hit, and junior Charley Barnett walked twice.
BURROUGHS
The Bears picked up a 9-6 league victory at Muir High in Pasadena on April 11.
Gizelle Rangsiyawong went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, four total RBIs and an additional run, while Spangler went 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, an additional run and a walk. Freshman Valentina Reyes pitched 4 1/3 innings with a strikeout, while Coblentz pitched 2 2/3 innings with three strikeouts and no walks. Morales went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two runs, while Torres went 2-for-3. Sophie Rangsiyawong recorded a hit, a run and a stolen base, while Centeno and Earl each tallied a hit and a run. Senior Skylar Vanole finished with a base hit, while freshman Chloe Zavala stole a pair of bases.
First published in the April 20 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
