Baseball:
The Arcadia-Crescenta Valley baseball rivalry in the Pacific League isn’t rooted in love, but it’s certainly built off of respect for one another.
You can’t have a great rivalry without two willing and equal competitors.
And that’s what makes winning the Pacific League baseball title so special.
Arcadia got to experience that feeling Tuesday night, as the Apaches defeated the Falcons, 7-5, behind a complete-game effort from Casey Spencer.
The Arcadia ace allowed just one earned run on seven hits.
Spencer didn’t walk anyone and struck out nine to secure the Pacific League championship.
In the top of the third, CV got five runs, four of which were unearned, and the Falcons took their first lead of the game at 5-3.
The Apaches would answer back with one run in the bottom of the third and three more in the fifth, and then Spencer would do the rest.
Jameson Ferraro went 2-for-3, with an RBI and run scored.
Emilio Velis doubled and drove in a pair of runs.
Rowan Respecio singled and scored for CV.
Arcadia got four runs (three earned) on three hits off Noah Maddox in two innings and another three runs on seven hits off Ferraro.
Brandon Nguyen went 2-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs.
Alex Dolan walked and had an RBI base hit.
Julian Eskridge walked, singled and scored.
Matthew McIntire went 3-for-4, and scored a pair of runs.
Devon Eskridge singled, doubled, scored and drove in three runs.
Zach Huerta singled and scored and Daniel Chavez walked and scored.
Up next: Arcadia will travel to Glendale today (Wednesday) for a makeup game, and on Friday night, the Apaches will close out their two-game set with CV at Stengel Field.
First pitch is set for 7.
Quotable:
Arcadia coach, Nick Lemas: “Spencer’s performance was gutsy. But that’s Casey. Plenty of adversity. Quite a few calls didn’t go our way. But he competed his butt off. And his teammates were right there to pick him up. Kids battled. Just like they have all year. Through the highs and lows they kept applying pressure. But that was a typical CV-Arcadia game. Such an awesome environment. So proud of our boys.”
Arcadia pitcher, Casey Spencer: “When those (unearned) runs scored it definitely got in my head a little bit. But I knew that I had to overcome that, because there was nothing I could do it about it. It would only hurt me and the team if I dwelled on it. I was through the roof that I was able to finish this game for the team. I definitely knew this was going to be a great feeling, but words don’t describe dog-pilling with my friends that I’ve grown up with since I was little. We will all remember this forever.”
Arcadia senior, Mikey Easter: “I think the biggest thing was staying focused. We knew we’re a great team and two runs wasn’t gonna win this game for CV. We continued to get good at-bat after at-bat and the hits started to come.”
Arcadia senior, Julian Eskridge: “It was most definitely worth it (the transfer & wait period) in the end. I just got to be part of a Pacific League championship with a great group of guys that I’ve been close with my whole life. To be able to contribute to this team’s success means a lot to me, and to play with my brother Devon makes it so special. I like contributing in as many ways as I can and I’ve been able to do that in the field, at the plate and on the mound. I’ll do anything they need from me. I was real proud of Casey tonight. Our defense let him down a little and we got a couple bad breaks, but he fought through it and we were there supporting him the entire time. I think it was his best start of the year.”
Box Score:
CV: 0-0-5-0-0-0-0-(5)
A: 0-3-1-0-3-0-x-(7)
Win: Casey Spencer (9-0)
Loss: Jameson Ferraro
2B: Devon Eskridge (A) Emilio Velis (CV)
Records: CV (17-8, 10-3); Arcadia (19-4, 12-0)