Sports

Baseball Notebook: Tigers Rally For Rare Postseason Win

Take a look at some of the key local storylines heading into Thursday's first round playoff action.

No one would have blamed the Tigers if they allowed themselves a couple of minutes to savor their 2-1 win at Nordhoff on Tuesday in the wildcard round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 playoffs.

None of the players on South Pasadena’s roster had every tasted success in the postseason. But rather than carry out a massive celebration on foreign soil, the Tigers simply acted as if they had won a random game over a non-league opponent in March.

“This is my second year here, we’re trying to make it a standard that we go to the playoffs every year,” Tigers coach Anthony Chevrier said. “We lined up and slapped each others hand like we normally do.”

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The Tigers didn’t get off the to the best start Tuesday, as they fell behind 1-0 in the first inning and were no-hit through the first five frames. But South Pasadena’s offense awoke for three hits in the sixth inning, and Anthony D’Oro’s RBI double gave the Tigers the equalizer. Then with two outs in the top of the seventh, senior Connor Bednarski drove in Brendan Perry from second base with an RBI single for the winning run.

Tony Veiller threw a complete game to pick up the win, allowing just one run on six hits.

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While Chevrier acknowledged that the wildcard win was huge in the big picture of the program, he said his goal at the beginning of the year was not to be a one-and-done playoff team.

Chevrier ultimately wants South Pasadena to be a program that expects to compete for a CIF title.

“If we don’t set our goals that high then in my eyes why are you even here,” Chevrier said.

The Tigers now face Torrance on Thursday at 3:15 p.m. in the first round. Torrance finished the regular season 24-5 and went undefeated in the Pioneer League.

La Salle meets familiar foe in Round 1

There’ll be a feeling of déjà vu to La Salle’s first round game Thursday in the Division 4 playoffs.

For a second straight year the Lancers open the playoffs with a road game at Covina, and La Salle coach Harry Agajanian couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed when he first saw the Lancers’ first round opponent would be the same as last year’s.

“It was kind of a let down at first,” Agajanian said. “No disrespect to them or anything, but we wanted to see somebody else in the playoffs. It’s kind of like turning into a league game now.

“ … Their coaching staff is good enough to pick up our traits in the one season. We know what they’re going to do. So there shouldn’t be too much (surprise).”

The Lancers (17-10) topped the Colts 3-2 last year in a wildcard round matchup, scoring the winning run in the top of the seventh.

Agajanian said Covina (16-10) graduated a couple of players from last year’s squad, but he expects to see the same starter Thursday that the Lancers faced a year ago — left-hander Jason Martinez.

“He’s their ace,” Agajanian said. “He’s a good pitcher. He has a pretty good fastball in the low 80s. We’re really fortunate that we saw that exact same kind of pitcher (last week). It helps us prepare. I feel we’re a little better off.”

The Lancers faced a left-handed starter in back-to-back games against Maranatha and Montclair Prep last week.

La Salle will counter with junior Bowdien Derby on the mound. Derby finished the regular season with a 0.88 ERA and 88 strikeouts in 71 1/3 innings.

If the Lancers get past Covina, then they will most likely face top-seed and defending champ Palm Desert in the second round.

Since Palm Desert opens the playoffs at home, La Salle would get to host a potential second game. Agajanian said the school worked out a deal to play its home playoff games at nearby Citrus College, where his son is an assistant baseball coach.

Arcadia looks to snap postseason skid

Arcadia coach Nick Lemas is well aware of the Apaches recent playoff history. Despite all of its success in the Pacific League, Arcadia has not won a postseason game in six years. Lemas is 0-4 in the playoffs as the Apaches head coach.

But no matter how you phrase the question, Lemas insists there isn’t any added pressure on the Apaches (23-3) as they prep for their first round date with La Sierra on Thursday at 3:15 p.m.

“I try not to think about it,” Lemas said. “It’s another game. It’s a new season. It’s the playoffs. But what’s happened in the past it’s over and done with there’s nothing we can do about it.

“ … Everybody else wants to add the pressure.”

The Apaches certainly look poised to end their postseason woes, as they enter the Division 2 playoffs the No. 2 seed off a second straight undefeated campaign in Pacific League.

Senior side-armer KJ Edson will get the start Thursday against La Sierra (14-12), and good things tend to happen for the Apaches when Edson takes the mound. Edson has not allowed an earned run in his last 31 2/3 innings, and he finished the regular season 10-1 with a 0.56 ERA.

“He’s different,” Lemas said. “His arm angle is a different location the hitter has to pick up the ball from. His ball has a lot of downward movement so he’s throwing a sinker -- his fastball is really a sinker --  it’s tough to get under and elevate. Everyone gets on top of it and they roll over it.”

CVHS faces tough first round matchup

Normally it’s a blessing to face a wildcard team in the first round. The opponent in question usually finished third or fourth in its respective league, and the wildcard round saps a team of its pitching depth.

But No. 8 Crescenta Valleys’ first round opponent in the Division 2 playoffs isn’t your typical wildcard foe. The Falcons face Notre Dame Sherman Oaks at 4 p.m. Thursday at Stengel Field in Glendale. The Knights, who beat Mayfair on Tuesday to advance to the first round, drew an at-large bid out of the baseball-rich Mission League.

“We went down and watched them (Tuesday),” Crescenta Valley coach Phil Torres said. “Very big and physical team. Private school, so it’s apples and oranges from our (school).”

Notre Dame (17-11) finished 5-7 in the Mission League, but the Knights scored a win over seventh-seeded Chaminade in their regular season finale.

That isn’t to say Torres feels the Falcons (22-4) got hosed in their draw; in the Division 2 playoffs, there isn’t an easy matchup in the entire bracket.

“I don’t think there’s any easy draw,” Torres said. “People are playing good people tomorrow right out of the shoot.”

Torres said he planned to wait until Wednesday night to name his starter for, but considering the Knights’ heavily left-handed lineup, it’s safe to assume junior southpaw Elliott Surrey will play a role in Thursday’s outcome.


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