Baseball: Edson, Papavasiliou deliver Arcadia to third consecutive Pacific League crown, extend league win streak to 30 with dominating win over Crescenta Valley.

By Nathan Cambridge, Correspondent

ARCADIA – Arcadia High School’s KJ Edson threw a complete game and senior George Papavasiliou hit a three-run homer to lead the Apaches to a 8-1 victory over visiting Crescenta Valley and claim the outright Pacific League championship Friday.

It was the third consecutive league title for the Apaches (23-3, 14-0) and came against a Crescenta Valley (22-4, 12-2) team that had been looking to share the championship.

“It’s awesome just to win league, and to secure a number one seed going into the playoffs is just huge,” Arcadia coach Nick Lemas said. “To go undefeated again is just icing on the cake. You’ve got to tip your hat to these kids.”

The victory over the Falcons completed a perfect run through league for the second year in a row. Arcadia also stretched its league winning streak to 30 games.

Edson allowed just three hits for his 10th victory.

“I just did my job, threw strikes and my defense helped me out,” Edson said.

All of Crescenta Valley’s hits were singles, including one each in the third, fourth and fifth innings. The Falcons’ lone run scored in the third inning and was unearned.

“(Edson) pitched really well and kept us off-balance,” Crescenta Valley coach Phil Torres said.

The senior recorded four of his five strikeouts in the final two innings, including the game’s final two batters.

Edson used eight pitches or fewer to retire the Falcons in each of the first five innings and needed just 61 pitches for the victory.

“His nerves had to be rattling, but you couldn’t tell,” said Lemas, whose team was ranked No. 4 in the latest CIF-SS Division 2 coaches poll.

“He is a number one pitcher.”

The Apaches strung together five consecutive hits off Falcons starting pitcher Elliot Surrey in a three-run second inning. Arcadia senior George Papavasiliou, batting seventh, hit a home run over the right-field fence to drive in Erik Trask and Gary Huang, who earlier had singled. The Apaches followed the home run with two more singles, but Surrey escaped additional damage when Brandon Benson hit into an inning-ending double play.

The left-handed Surrey, who suffered his first defeat of the season, was pulled trailing 5-1 in the third inning with two outs after the Apaches scored two more runs. Arcadia’s Brendan Campbell had an RBI single with one out. There were two outs when Gary Huang hit a single to right field that was misplayed and allowed Huang to score from first.

The Falcons committed two errors in the fourth inning with two outs. Falcons relief pitcher Kyle Murray then threw a wild pitch to bring in the Apaches’ sixth run.

With Friday’s loss Crescenta Valley finished second in the league for the second consecutive year.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email
Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Reply

Baseball: The Pacific League showdown tonight at 7 decides if Arcadia wins league crown outright or shares it with rival Crescenta Valley. Can the Apaches 3-peat?


Above: Arcadia’s KJ Edson has had the kind of season that makes him a Star-News Player of the Year candidate.

Anyone looking to experience a playoff-like atmosphere need look no further.

The site is Arcadia High at 7 tonight, when the Apaches will host Crescenta Valley. On the line will be Arcadia’s chance to clinch the Pacific League baseball title outright.

The formula is simple: win, and the Apaches (22-3, 13-0) sit alone in the standings for a third consecutive title. Lose, and they share the crown with rival Crescenta Valley (23-3, 13-1). The visiting Falcons got the best of Arcadia in the first meeting in April, 4-2.

Also at stake is prime position for playoff seedings. Arcadia currently is No. 4 in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 coaches poll, while Crescenta Valley is No. 5. The final position could be the difference between playing a wild- card game Tuesday or going straight to a first-round appearance. As if that isn’t enough, Arcadia is putting its 29-game league winning streak on the line.

There won’t be any surprises tonight on the mound. Arcadia will send out ace KJ Edson, who’s 9-1 with a 0.62 ERA and 61 strikeouts, and pitched a complete game against the Falcons in the first meeting.

Expect to see Elliott Surrey take the mound for the Falcons. The Apaches had him on the ropes in the first meeting, but Surrey’s proven that he has the arsenal to be an ace. He has a no-hitter under his belt this season, and has a wicked fastball that’s stymied many.

The delivery is the only difference between Edson and Surrey.

“They both pound the strike zone,” Arcadia coach Nick Lemas said. “They work to get ahead of hitters, they trust their stuff.

“Both have effective fastballs. KJ throws from submarine and Surrey is over the top, but both are pitchers. They’re not throwers. They have a plan and know how to throw to a hitter.”

Surrey is unbeaten so far this season. Edson’s lone loss came to Northview early in the season.

“Every pitcher gets into a jam,” Lemas said, “but the good ones are able to get out of it.”

That the final game of the season carries so much weight creates an exciting atmosphere, but if he had his druthers, Lemas would’ve had it all locked up by now.

“I love the competition, don’t get me wrong,” he said, “but I’d love to have had it wrapped up.

“But it’s good for us to play a final game that has a lot of meaning. There’s more hype to this game because it’s CV-Arcadia, our records and how we’re both doing.”

On the flip side, it gives the perception that the Pacific League is a strong league, and that could benefit both teams when coaches make the playoff pairings.

“Especially in Division 2 there’s a lot of wild-card games,” Lemas said.

“We’re both ranked in the top five of CIF, and hopefully whoever loses this game still is able to get into the first round without playing a wild-card game. You never know. We’ll just have to earn the game.”

Parisi weighs in

Expect Pasadena coach Mike Parisi to be in attendance tonight at Arcadia. He loves baseball and knows top- caliber teams when he sees them. In this case, he’s played against them, too.

Asked to pick the best pitcher between Edson and Surrey, Parisi didn’t hesitate.

“Edson definitely has the advantage because he’s had the biggest starts and he’s had two big years,” Parisi said.

“Surrey’s had other quality pitchers on his staff. Edson’s lived up to the hype.”

Below: Crescenta Valley’s Elliott Surrey, sporting the Greg Maddux look.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email

Baseball: Just call him Blue, as in Tyler Blue Dominguez.

By Miguel A. Melendez, Staff Writer

Tyler Blue Dominguez entered the world on March 31, 1993, with his mother’s umbilical cord wrapped around his neck.

It was the third of four births for Dominguez’s mother, Estela.

“I don’t labor much,” she said, “which was surprising when he got stuck.”

For nearly two full minutes, Dominguez’s tiny body was blue – hence his middle name. But he wasn’t just blue.

“He was really, really, really, really blue,” Estela said. “They don’t turn pink until they breathe.”

Making the Arcadia High School senior’s birth all the more interesting, Dominguez was born at home – in the couple’s bedroom, to be exact – with the help of a midwife, who provides care for those who prefer a natural birth experience.

“She unwrapped the umbilical cord,” Estela said, “and sure enough he was fine.”

CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING
Continue reading “Baseball: Just call him Blue, as in Tyler Blue Dominguez.” »

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email

Baseball: Pasadena Poly, Alhambra truly dominant.

The Rio Hondo League has a new baseball champion in Temple City after five consecutive years of titles won by Monrovia, but the dominance continues in other leagues.

There’s Alhambra (21-3, 13-1), which secured its seventh consecutive Almont League title with the help of Frankie Wright. The senior right-hander threw a complete game two-hitter and also connected on a grand slam to lead the Moors in a 9-0 win over Schurr on Tuesday.

Pasadena Poly (19-2-1, 11-0) had plenty to celebrate this year. First, Panthers coach Wayne Ellis recorded his 400th career win. Then Pasadena Poly recorded its 16th straight Prep League title, which is a state record for most consecutive league titles in baseball.

In the Pacific League, Arcadia (22-3, 13-0) clinched a share of the league title with an 11-3 win over Glendale. That gives the Apaches three straight league titles, but sharing isn’t caring when it comes to league. Arcadia can win the title outright with a win over rival Crescenta Valley (22-3, 13-1) on Friday night at Arcadia. The Falcons’ lone loss came against the Apaches, 4-2.

Arcadia coach Nick Lemas and some of his players attended Crescenta Valley’s game against Burbank at Glendale’s Casey Stengel Field on Tuesday night, and saw the Falcons rally for an 8-7 victory.

Crescenta Valley’s win kept its hopes alive for a share of the league title. Once again, the title will come down to the final game of the season before the CIF-Southern Section playoff pairings are released Sunday.

Last season, Arcadia became the only baseball team in league history to finish league play undefeated

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email

Baseball: Pasadena’s season ends when Muir forfeits.

Pasadena coach Mike Parisi wasn’t too happy when Muir’s baseball team forfeited the final game of league, scheduled for Friday. Parisi said he wanted his 11 seniors to experience their final league game at home before the playoffs begin. It’s likely that the Bulldogs (17-9-1, 9-5, third place) will hit the road when the playoff pairings are released.

Facebook Twitter Plusone Reddit Tumblr Email