BASEBALL: CV walks off with crown
Bases-loaded pass spoils Arcadia's league title hopes
Above: Arcadia pitcher A.J. Smouse #25 walks off the field after giving up a bases loaded walk as CV beat Arcadia 2-1 in eight innings for the Pacific League Title at Stengel Field in Glendale. (SGVN/Staff Photo Keith Birmingham/SXSports)
By Keith Lair, Staff Writer
GLENDALE - The most feared hitter in the Pacific League needed only to hit a fly ball.
Instead, Crescenta Valley's Kris Kauppila drew a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning. That was good enough, too, as the Falcons defeated Arcadia High School 2-1 to win the league championship Friday night at Stengel Field.
Kauppila, who had been intentionally walked twice by the Apaches, got behind in the count to relief pitcher A.J. Smouse. He took a ball low for a full count, fouled off a pitch, then took the next pitch low, forcing home Andrew Pita. The Falcons then piled on in the infield to celebrate their title. The teams had gone into the game tied for the league lead.
"I really wanted to get a hit," the leadoff hitter said. "We won, that's all I wanted."
Pita got on base when his slow grounder to second to start the eighth forced Arcadia second baseman Jon Larson to hurry his throw. The throw was wild and Pita took second. Nathan Honda laid a bunt down the third-base line and the Apaches tried to get Pita at third, to no avail. Smouse then walked Zack Torres to load the bases and bring up Kauppila.
The shortstop went into the game batting .486. He doubled in his first at-bat and also had a single to go with his three walks.
"They respect me," he said of being intentionally walked.
The Apaches broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning. Larson singled to left field and on a hit-and-run, David Huntzinger hit a Travis Feldman pitch down the left-field line. Larson scored on the double.
Arcadia pitcher Bryce Rutherford appeared as if he was going to make it stand, but the Falcons got to him in the sixth for a run. Sean Carrol was hit by a pitch, sacrificed to second by Pita, and pinch hitter Jacob Hoogenhuizen, in only his fifth plate appearance of the season, singled up the middle to tie the score. It was his first hit of the year.
"We knew it was going to be a one-run game," Arcadia coach Nick Lemas said. "We knew it was going to be low-scoring. We tried some things. Some things worked, some didn't."
Rutherford gave up five hits in seven innings. He struck out eight. Smouse replaced him to start the eighth.
"His arm was done," Lemas said. "He threw a lot of pitches."
CV's Feldman was just as masterful, but did not get the decision. He struck out six and was replaced by Sean Elliott with one out in the eighth. After getting a strikeout, Tim Smoley singled up the middle. Rutherford then singled down the right-field line and Smoley went down between second and third base, tripped up by Kauppila. He was tagged out, but Lemas successfully argued that Kauppila interfered. With runners at the corners, Elliott struck out Larson.
Arcadia had only one last opportunity to score. Smoley doubled down the left-field line with no outs, but Feldman got the next three batters.
The Falcons had the bases loaded in the first and second innings and failed to score.
Comments
I'm Kris's dad, I'm tired of the crap written about my son Kris, purposely trying to trip Tim on the base paths.For one, he doesn't know of any play taught by coach Torres or any other coach, that he tripping someone is part of the game strategy. When my son found out that Tim broke his hand, he immediately called him and told him he didn't do it on purpose. They are good friends and he believed him, they both love to compete and win. Also our coach doesn't teach calling time out in the batters box on purpose, CV and Arcadia play the game fairly and show good sportmanship. If that is a issue, come talk to me at any game and I discuss it with you. I talk to my kids about what happens at each game and CV play's the game fairly. If you think we had the umpire on our side that night, you are wrong, he was horrible for both sides, ask Bryce and Kris. He sucked the whole night, awful strike zone.
Posted by: lonnie | May 15, 2008 1:03 PM
Phils a great coach that's why he had three of his better players quit this year.As you can see Phil teaches allot of things.. How about his batters calling time while Bryce is already in the motion.. How about that mysterious tennis ball that came on to the field from CV's side while Bryce is ready to pitch and before you CV clowns start complaining yes the ump awarded the time and they are the same that was going to call Smoley out when he got tripped instead of interference.. Can anyone say hommered by CV umps..
Posted by: cv blows | May 15, 2008 5:58 AM
Okay, here's the real facts Kris played with Tim Smoley in the summer to win the World Series in Ohio. They are both friends and he called Tim 2 days after it happened and Tim Smoley even said he knew he didn't do it on purpose! plain and simple
Posted by: falconsfan'11 | May 15, 2008 12:59 AM
Ballfan: Were you at the game? Kaupilla did indeed trip (interfere with) Smoley. There are several parents who were filming and could provide footage. Did that cost the game for the Apaches? Obviously not. Indeed, poor coaching prevented opportunities that Arcadia did not capitalize on. It's obvious "the bush-league" style of play won out. Does Torres teach "charging the mound?" If so, next season should be great! Oh, Kaupilla who??? He's already forgotten. Get used to it, kid. Rutherford won that game hands down!
Posted by: apachefan | May 14, 2008 9:05 PM
Ballfan: Were you at the game? Kauppila did indeed trip or interfere with Smoley. There are several parents who were filming and could provide footage. Did that cost the game for the Apaches? Obviously not. Indeed, some poor coaching prevented opportunities that Arcadia did not capitalize on. It's obvious "the bush-league" style of play won out. Does Torres also teach "charging the mound?" If so, next season should be real exciting! Oh, Kauppila who??? He's already forgotten. Get used to it, kid.
Posted by: apachefan | May 14, 2008 8:29 PM
Ballfan - read your own statements - On 5-11 you said he (Kauppila) tripped Smoley on purpose and then with a question mark asked dirtiest or best. Then in the last sentence said the game was lost due to coaching errors. Now today you're saying that there is no question Kauppila is one of the area's best. You say again "nobody said Kauppila deliberately tried to hurt Smoley, but he did try to trip him to slow him down." Further, now you say it was not a coaching error but a coaching decision that Arcadia didn't score later in the game. Let me address the last issue first. You would have been the first to condemm any decision that was made that didn't work. Gee, maybe he should have tried a double steal? How about a suicide squeeze? Why don't you tell us what you would have done? Let's talk about the CV coach who pitch hit with a player who got his first hit of the season to drive in the tying run. Now let's address the tripping incident. I'm sure you have some proof that Kauppila deliberately tripped Smoley. You have game film that you can put on the web and show us? Ballfan - I do not believe you are a ball fan at all but a woulda, coulda, shoulda kinda guy and that whole game was a conspiracy simply played for you to dwell on.
Posted by: justafan | May 14, 2008 2:08 PM
Nobody is questioning Kauppila's talent one of the best in the area by far. Nobody said he tried to hurt Smoley on purpose but he did try and trip him up to slow him down. Was it Kauppila's fault he broke his hand? I guess it was Smoley's fault for falling wrong. Arcadia had a chance to get a run towards the end and coaching decisions didn't allow that to happen.
Posted by: ballfan | May 14, 2008 5:47 AM
I have seen Kauppila play a couple of games this year and let me tell you he is far from a dirty player. He's hard nosed and fiesty, can compete with anyone out there when he wants. Underrated!
Posted by: Baseballlife | May 13, 2008 8:06 PM
That's a pretty big statement to make to make that a player deliberately injured another player. And then question him as being the dirtiest or best. Further it is an even more questionable statement to make that the game was lost to coaching errors. I saw the coach put on a hit and run that scored the first run. I watched as he argued an obstruction call that gave Arcadia runners at first and third. I saw him intentionally walk Kauppila twice and never score. What I also saw was the coaches show the respect and dignity to both teams that kind of high school game deserved. The only thing you said that was true is that was one of the best games of the year.
Posted by: justafan | May 13, 2008 10:00 AM
Kauppila is a great player no doubt, but it was obvious Rutherford deserved to win that game......
Posted by: sgvbballfan | May 12, 2008 9:08 AM
It was one of the best h.s. games this year.. Kauppila one of the best or one of the dirtiest palyers in the area? Tripped Smoley on purpose which resulted in Smoley breaking his hand. Huge lose for Arcadia with the playoffs coming.. Arcadia lost that game with coaching errors sad to see that happen.
Posted by: ballfan | May 12, 2008 5:48 AM
Great game , great rivalry which gets the biggest crowds for a baseball game in the whole area and that's not even a playoff game. Plus, Kris Kauppila is one of the best players in the area, great fielder, team leader and can hit anyone. To bad no one really knows him?
Posted by: cv | May 11, 2008 1:22 PM