Coming up short

blr-BurroughsBaseball02.TextOV269H59BASEBALL: Crescenta Valley proves too much for Burroughs in Pacific League game on the road, 9-0.Credit: BY TAMMY ABBOTT The Leader Caption: Burroughs High starting pitcher Byron Pacheco delivers Tuesday in a Pacific League game against host Crescenta Valley. The Indians lost, 9-0. blr-BurroughsBaseball02TextN9269H41GNPThe Leader BURROUGHS HIGHBURROUGHS HIGH — With the lone blemish on its Pacific League record coming at the hands of Burroughs High, the Crescenta Valley baseball team set out to atone that lone loss on Tuesday.

Behind a five-run first inning and a dominant performance from starting pitcher Dustin Emmons, the Falcons cruised to a 9-0 victory at Burroughs High.

The teams entered the game in a three-way tie with Arcadia for first place in league.

"It feels good to avenge the loss," said Emmons, whose team fell to the Indians, 3-2, in nine innings on March 23. "We just got to do the same things everyday."

While the game's start time was delayed for nearly 40 minutes as the umpires had yet to reach the field, the Falcons showed no delay with their bats.

In all, eight Falcons recorded a hit and 11 players reached base safely.

Opening the game, the Falcons' first five batters reached base safely and all nine batters took an at bat, staking themselves to an early 5-0 advantage.

"We've had some trouble with some first-inning woes," Burroughs Coach Tom Crowther said. "As far as what is the difference — the first inning.

"You fall behind 5-0 to CV, you are going to struggle."

Emmons opened the scoring with a bases-loaded single that scored Kris Kauppila, who led off the game with a single.

Two run-scoring singles from Chris Johnson and Lon Kauppila and two fielder's choices accounted for the five runs.

The lead would be more than enough for the senior right-hander, who pitched six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and striking out seven batters, in addition to going three for four with two runs batted in at the dish.

For the third-place Indians, it was a struggle offensively, as they totaled three hits and didn't have a runner advance past second base.

Breaking through in the fifth inning, Burroughs' Nick Bozeman and Mike Cambianica connected for back-to-back singles, only to be left stranded on the bases.

"We would have needed a spark," said Crowther of trying to climb back into the game. "We needed some big at bats."

Some big at bats that never materialized for the Indians (11-12, 8-2 in league), but did for the Falcons (18-2, 9-1).