(La Crescenta) – Erin Ashby batted and pitched Crescenta Valley to a crucial 5-2 Pacific League win over Burroughs.
The Falcon win gives it a share of first place in the Pacific with the Indians who won earlier in the season.
Ashby’s heads up play at the plate with the game-winning hit was all she needed in the sixth inning. After Kelly Bako doubled with one out, Heather Haynes then was instructed to intentionally walk Ashby with courtesy runner Whitney Craig at second. Instead of the pitch going outside, Ashby was given one down the plate to promptly single to right field to score Craig from second and give Crescenta Valley a 3-2 lead.
With two outs, freshman Hannah Cookson delivered the insurance the Falcons were looking for with a two-run homer to deep centerfield.
Ashby finished going 3-for-3 with a homer and three runs batted in. As a pitcher Ashby was stellar allowing two runs on five hits with five strike outs.
Burroughs will have nightmares of base running mistakes that stopped to rallies. With one out in the third and runners at the corner Sydney Ortega’s bunt floated up to Ashby who fired to first base to get out of a jam while both teams were still scoreless.
The larger base running error came in the top of the sixth with the score tied at two. With Ortega and Shannon Trujillo reaching on singles, Schulman struck out. Haley Schulman delivered a single and Ortega headed home only to have Cookson’s throw beat her to the plate. After an ensuing run down, Ortega was called out and Trujillo moved to third. Ashby got Hallie White to ground back to the circle for the third out and get out of the inning unscathed.
After Crescenta Valley gained a 2-0 lead on Ashby’s two-run homer, Burroughs battled back in the fourth. Trujillo opened the inning with a double and Taylor Buliavac singled. Trujillo scored on an error while trying to get to third. During the error Buliavac was awarded third base. Schulman’s deep fly to left field allowed Buliavac to motor home to tie the score.
Both teams could get a share of the Pacific League title if they win the remainder of its three games.
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