Arcadia pounds its way past Crescenta Valley to wrap up the Pacific League baseball title
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GLENDALE —Arcadia baseball senior Devon Eskridge had a different dance-like celebration each time he got on base on Friday evening. He says he makes up the routines as he goes, but the energy from early hits from him and others kept the Apaches going all the way to an 11-2 win over Crescenta Valley.
Brayden Herrera #44 of Arcadia reacts after a RBI triple against Crescenta Valley in the fifth inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Nick Lemas of Arcadia looks on against Crescenta Valley in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Phil Torres of Crescenta Valley prior to a prep baseball game between the Arcadia and the Crescenta Valley at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Connor Campbell #12 of Crescenta Valley throws to the plate against Arcadia in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Fernando Palencia #8 of Arcadia moves to third on a double by teammate Avery Truesdale (not pictured) of Arcadia against Crescenta Valley in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
A Crescenta Valley player looks on late against Arcadia in the sixth inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Shortstop Fernando Palencia #8 of Arcadia forces out Jimmy Spears #11 of Crescenta Valley at second base and throws to first to complete the double play on Chris Torres (not pictured) of Crescenta Valley in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Phil Torres of Crescenta Valley talks with home plate umpire in the third inning of a prep baseball game against Arcadia at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Avery Truesdale #13 of Arcadia rects towards his bench after two RBI single against Crescenta Valley in the third inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Second baseman Maverick Silva #9 of Arcadia throws out Nico Terenzi #2 of Crescenta Valley in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Shortstop Fernando Palencia #8 of Arcadia fields a ball against Crescenta Valley in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Crescenta Valley takes on Arcadia in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Phil Torres of Crescenta Valley walks to the mound in the second inning of a prep baseball game against Arcadia at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Tyler Garland #8 of Crescenta Valley dives by to second base as second baseman Maverick Silva #9 of Arcadia can’t handle the throw in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Head coach Phil Torres of Crescenta Valley talks with starting pitcher Connor Campbell #12 in the second inning of a prep baseball game against Arcadia at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Third baseman Ben Cooper #15 of Arcadia reaches for a single by Brandon Kwon (not pictured) of Crescenta Valley in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Shortstop Fernando Palencia #8 of Arcadia forces out Jimmy Spears #11 of Crescenta Valley at second base and throws to first to complete the double play on Chris Torres (not pictured) of Crescenta Valley in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Shortstop Fernando Palencia #8 of Arcadia forces out Jimmy Spears (not pictured) of Crescenta Valley at second base and throws to first to complete the double play on Chris Torres (not pictured) of Crescenta Valley in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Devon Eskridge #11 of Arcadia triples against Crescenta Valley in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Avery Truesdale #13 of Arcadia celebrates with teammates after scoring on single by teammate Ben Cooper (not pictured) of Arcadia again Crescenta Valley in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Gabriel Lopez #14 of Arcadia reacts after getting Chris Torres (not pictured) of Crescenta Valley grounds into a inning ending double play with bases loaded in the second inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Gabriel Lopez #14 of Arcadia throw to the plate against Crescenta Valley in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Nicholas Moreno #28 of Arcadia leads off against Crescenta Valley in the seventh inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Fernando Palencia #8 of Arcadia reacts after hitting a solo home run against Crescenta Valley in the fifth inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Starting pitcher Connor Campbell #12 of Crescenta Valley throws to the plate against Arcadia in the first inning of a prep baseball game at Stengel Field in Glendale on Friday, April 28, 2023.Arcadia 11-2. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Arcadia earned the Pacific League title with the win at Stengel Field – their third championship in as many years. It was a must-win game with both teams tied at the top of the league standings heading into it.
Arcadia had to beat Crescenta Valley twice this week to get it.
“It’s a big rivalry,” Arcadia coach Nick Lemas said. “We always seem to have great games with these guys. Obviously playing for a league championship adds that much more to it.”
Avery Truesdale was 3-for-5 with two doubles, a single and three RBIs for the Apaches while Brayden Herrera was 2-for-4 with a triple, single and two RBIs. Fernando Palencia pitched two scoreless innings in relief and, at the plate, was 3-for-5 with two singles and a home run.
Arcadia (20-4 overall, 13-1 Pacific League) put up four runs in the opening inning. Eskridge started the frame with a leadoff triple and Palencia drove him in with a single. Jerry Carlos hit an RBI single and Ben Cooper had a two-run double to give the Apaches an early 4-0 advantage.
“I was down 2-2 in my count and then I hit a triple and everyone started going crazy,” Eskridge said. “Right from there, we built up the energy and never stopped and we kept on scoring.”
Eskridge cracked a leadoff double in the second and reached home on a Truesdale double. The Apaches tacked on three more runs in the third inning, but couldn’t get a hit in the fourth. The Falcons (20-6, 12-2), however, got on the board with an RBI double from Jimmy Spears (2-for-3, two singles, RBI) and RBI double from Chris Torres.
“We got a plenty of hits and plenty of baserunners, we just couldn’t get the big hit,” Crescenta Valley coach Karl Ballah said. “We’re a young group, but by now that shouldn’t matter.”
Palencia cracked a solo home run off the first pitch of the fifth inning, the first home run Lemas said he’s seen at Stengel Field in his 17 years of coaching.
“This place is a graveyard,” Lemas said. “He really got ahold of that one, that was nice to see.”
Herrera hit an RBI triple, then Carlos hit a sacrifice fly to right field for Arcadia’s final two runs of the night.
Arcadia beat Crescenta Valley on Tuesday, 5-4, to set up a must-win situation for the league. The league title gets the Falcons home field advantage when they begin the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs next week.
Brackets will be released Monday at 10 a.m. as the Apaches go for their first CIF-SS championship since 1965.
“Just stay confident,” Eskridge said. “Just have faith in each other and continue to keep on working hard.”
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