By Leonard COUTIN

Though CV’s baseball team enjoyed relatively smooth seas in the first three games of last week’s Babe Herman Tournament – the Falcons beat Santa Monica 5-4, Oak Park 15-2, and North Torrance 9-0 – the final game of the contest proved to be stormy at best.

Up against the West Torrance Warriors (7-8-1), it took the Falcons until the bottom of the eighth to nail their win with Falcon Tyler Pollak being the only one to cross home all night. CV beat West Torrance 1-0.

Pollak knocked a base hit that put him on first followed by senior Andrew Fagundo who was given the sign to bunt by line coach Dave Mendoza. After a first unsuccessful attempt, Fagundo was replaced with freshman Joe Torres who was able to bunt the ball towards the third base line, successfully getting onto first. Fagundo then replaced Torres on first and after another batter was struck out, Eliot Surrey stepped up to the plate.

Surrey had come into the game at the top of the sixth inning as the substitute pitcher for teammate Troy Mulcahey after a West Torrance player was hit. Up until that time Mulcahey pitched a scoreless game.

With Pollak and Fagundo on base, Surrey received his first pitch – a strike. On the next pitch Surrey got a hit to the outfield and Pollak advanced from second to third base, then sliding into home to score.

For his efforts Surrey was recognized with the tournament’s most valuable player award.

The win was the 13th straight for the Falcons which next take on Arcadia Friday at Stengel at 7 p.m.

  Babe Herman Tournament, falcon baseball, west torrance high, winning streak