Falcons Drop First League Game in Soggy Affair

By Vincent PAGE, intern

The Crescenta Valley High School varsity softball team dropped its first Pacific League game in an 8-6 loss to Burroughs High School on Tuesday. The Lady Falcons fought hard throughout the entire game, but struggled at the plate unable to string together multiple hits in a single inning while Burroughs prospered.

Senior Adela Alatraca got the call to pitch for the Falcons, coming off back-to-back shutouts and a near-perfect game in the first week of Pacific League play last week. She came out stellar, not allowing a run until the fourth inning when Burroughs sophomore Destiny Velasquez hit a no-doubt solo home run, scoring the first run against Alatraca this year. The score was 1-0 Burroughs going into CV’s half when the mellow squad was brought to life when junior Sydnee Wells hit a hard line drive to right-center field for a double, and was brought in shortly after on a base hit by Alatraca to even the score at one as the fourth inning ended.

However, the Indians were not finished as senior Delaney Nicol hit a two-run shot off of Alatraca, the last runs she would give up before being pulled in the sixth inning in favor of sophomore Brenda Gamez’s fresh arm.

Hailey Cookson pitched a scoreless seventh inning on Tuesday, but it wasn’t enough. Burroughs defeated the Falcons 8-6.

The Lady Falcons responded with a run from junior Taylor Schaffer scoring on a passed ball. The sixth inning was full of runs, as Burroughs scored three runs, two on junior Brianna Devellano’s double. The Falcons bounced back with Wells and Alatraca scoring on a Schaffer single. The score at the end of the sixth was 8-4.

Though there was a tease of a rainout during the game, the weather took a turn for the worse between the sixth and seventh innings. A drizzle turned to rain, and a sudden ending seemed imminent. But the teams were able to get through the first half of the last inning quickly when senior Hailey Cookson came in and threw a scoreless inning, giving the Falcons one last chance for a comeback, still down 8-4. Senior Melanie Abzun worked a full count, eventually hitting a line drive over the right field fence for a lead-off home run.

Wells and Alatraca continued having stellar offensive performances, as Wells got on through an error and Alatraca by working a base on balls. Senior Clair O’Conner hit a double driving in Wells. Unfortunately for Crescenta Valley, that was not enough as the third out was recorded on a Gamez strikeout, ending the game 8-6 for Burroughs.

Crescenta Valley Coach Amanda Peek’s strategy almost brought the Falcons back, but their rally late in the game came up short.

The Falcons’ problem seemed to be hitting with runners in scoring position, as they stranded eight runners on third and second throughout the game.

“They strung their hits together while ours were a little bit spread apart, so they scored a lot of runs with those innings where it was consecutive hits,” head coach Amanda Peek explained after the game.

The past two seasons have been sweeps in this series, with CV taking both games in 2013 and Burroughs took both in 2014. However, Peek does not plan on letting this trend continue, as that would mean the Lady Falcons would drop their second game against Burroughs along with this one; however, she also does not plan on changing her strategy.

“I’m looking forward to our next game. We just need to come out and take care of our business and play three outs on offense and three outs on defense,” Peek said. “I’m sure that will get the job done.”

The Falcons take on Glendale High School today at 3:30 p.m. at home.