Senior pitches Panthers to blowout win.

Above: Pasadena Poly pitcher A.J. Talt deals against Boron in the first round of the CIF-SS Division VI playoffs. (Staff photo by Keith Birmingham)

Friday’s First Round
Division II
Temecula Valley 5, Arcadia 0
Division VI
Pasadena Poly 12, Boron 1
Rio Hondo Prep 14, Baptist Christian 3
Thursday’s scores
Division III
Alhambra 3, Beckman 1
Division V
Monrovia 9, Sierra Vista 5
San Marino 5, Gabrielino 1
Temple City 4, Calvary Murrieta 2
Division VI
Maranatha 3, Rosamond 1

By Andrew Barlam, Correspondent
PASADENA – Pasadena Poly pitcher A.J. Talt tried to do his best impersonation of a sad person.
He groaned and shook his head as he spoke about three walks he had just allowed in Friday’s CIF-Southern Section Division VI baseball playoff opener against Boron.
Searching for something to be somber about was the best he could come up with. But even that took digging.
That’s what happens after a 12-1 victory.
Pasadena Poly (21-3) extended its winning streak to 19 heading into Tuesday’s second-round game against Big Bear.
“We just want to see how far we can make this go,” Talt said. “I’m feeling really great about the way this team is playing.”
The senior struck out 14 and improved to 9-0. The Bobcats didn’t hit a ball out of the infield until the sixth inning.
It wasn’t until they were down to their final four outs that Boron (10-12) got to Talt, who gave up just a pair of hits.
Talt and John Michael Pennington, who will start the second-round game for Pasadena Poly, combined for 18 strikeouts, with Pennington striking out four in one inning.
“A.J. did just exactly what we wanted him to do,” Pasadena Poly coach Wayne Ellis said. “He was very dominant. He’s very tall and he just gets on top of those hitters very
easily.”
Talt struck out at least two batters in all six innings.
Boron coach Bryan Richardson acknowledged his team had not faced a fastball like Talt’s.
“We don’t face pitching like that during the year,” he said.
The Bobcats hadn’t seen a lot of hitting like the Panthers’ either.
Boron pitcher Brad Sailer (5-5) struck out 12 but also gave up 13 hits and issued six walks.
“I thought he threw well, but the way his defense played behind him made things really tough,” Richardson said.
The damage started in the second inning with a two-run double by Charlie Baxter, one of his three hits. The Panthers broke it open in the fourth by scoring three more on a bases-clearing double by Simmons Borchert.
Talt couldn’t hide his smile.
“When it’s 0-0, you’re a little bit nervous, but once you get that run, you start getting a lot of confidence,” he said. “It helps.”
Matt Saeta, Jason Kerns and Baxter each went 3 for 4 and had RBI singles in the fifth. Borchert had a sacrifice fly as the lead was pushed to 9-0. Kerns and Baxter also drove in runs in the sixth, with Poly scoring another in the inning on an error to round out the scoring.
The only offense Boron threw at Pasadena Poly was a two-out rally in the sixth inning, with catcher Cory Stanton driving in the lone run.
It was the only fly ball hit against either Talt or Pennington in the game.
“In the back of my mind, I was thinking about a no-hitter and was a little disappointed, but we won the game,” Talt said. “We played great and we won.
“That’s all that matters.”