BURBANK HIGH — Performing on the Burbank High baseball field seems to bring out the best in Crescenta Valley starting pitcher Travis Feldman.
The senior right-hander doesn’t mind pitching on the field at night and showed he can handle himself well with the bat in key situations, as well.
Feldman struck out five in six innings and delivered a key two-run double in the first inning to spark Crescenta Valley to a 9-2 win against Burbank on Friday night in a Pacific League opener for both teams.
Feldman (2-1) made himself comfortable at the plate before even throwing a pitch to get the Falcons (2-3) off to a quality start in their attempt to grab a seventh consecutive league championship. Burbank (2-5) didn’t achieve much success against Feldman, who also beat Burbank last year in a starting role on the mound.
“We have to do the same things that we’ve always done because we’ve got the talent,” said Feldman, who limited Burbank to six hits after delivering his double to give the Falcons a 3-0 lead. “Any time somebody can get a big hit, it’s huge for me.
“I was looking for a fastball that I could handle on the outside corner. I felt better with a 3-0 lead. I felt good on the mound because I could locate my fastball well.”
The Bulldogs, who finished fourth in league last season and qualified for the postseason, had a couple of chances against Feldman. However, Burbank couldn’t knot the contest in the fourth inning before Crescenta Valley blew the game open with a four-run fifth.
“We had a chance to get the momentum going our way,” Burbank third-year Coach Bob Hart said. “We are looking to play clean baseball. When we do that, we can compete. When we can’t do that, we self destruct.”
Burbank came apart in the fifth after handling itself well against the Falcons early. Lonnie Kauppila stole home to make it 5-2, before the Falcons added a run on an error by the Burbank right fielder.
Burbank starting pitcher Ben Levitt (0-3) struggled against the Falcons, who won both meetings last season in Burbank’s first season in the Pacific League after spending years participating in the Foothill League. The senior left-hander allowed seven runs (six earned) and threw a pair of wild pitches.
“He didn’t have his best stuff,” Hart said. “He’ll be fine.”
Kauppila finished with a team-high three hits for the Falcons, who received two hits apiece from Daniel Park and Joe Sedano.
Burbank got two hits from Chris Montgomery.
Crescenta Valley will next compete in another league road game at 3:15 p.m. Tuesday against Glendale. Burbank will take part in a nonleague road doubleheader against San Marino at 11 a.m. today.
