Crescenta Valley Softball Wins Duarte Tournament

After starting the Duarte Tournament with a tough one-run win over Covina, the Crescenta Valley softball team crushed the rest of the field behind fantastic offense and stellar pitching. Saturday’s championship game was no different, as the Falcons defeated Temple City 8-1 behind a complete game by Erin Ashby and two home runs by Hannah Cookson.

“I thought we played great all day today. Erin did a great job of varying up her pitches and throwing them different looks. Hannah had a great game at bat, and the infield played great defense,” Falcons coach Dan Berry said after the win.

Cookson got the Falcons off to a great start, hitting a home run in the third at-bat of the game. It was a sign of things to come from the fantastic freshman.

Temple City had its biggest scoring chance in the first inning when it loaded the bases with two outs. But Ashby calmly closed out the inning to end the threat.

After a scoreless second, Crescenta Valley got two more runs via another home run by Cookson. She finished the game 3-for-4 at the plate, and had a team high five RBIs.

“Well we have a powerful lineup, and the reason that Hannah is in there at the three spot is because she never strikes out,” Berry said. “She always gets a bat on the ball and when she further develops her defense she is going to be special.”

After Cecelia Martinez notched an RBI single, Crescenta Valley held a 4-0 lead before Ashby gave up her only run of the game on a solo home run.

In the fourth inning, with runners on second and third, Cookson drove in two more runs to continue her strong day. Another runner scored on the next play following a Temple City error, and the total was 7-1 after four.

The eighth and final run came in the fifth inning, when Ashby stepped off the mound and drove in a run of her own.

“I’m very happy with the result. You don’t go into a tournament thinking about winning the whole thing. You just think about winning the first game. If you don’t win the first game you are playing for eighth,” Berry said.

The Falcons are now 4-0 and now have a week to prepare for their next tournament when they take on Serrano next Friday in Phelan in the first game of the High Desert Tournament. It will be the team’s final tune up before Pacific League play.

“Every game is different and each game dictates the next. I will probably change the lineup a bunch before league play so we have plenty to work on before then,” Berry said.