The key to Burbank’s victory came in the right arm of starting pitcher Danny Bustos, allowed just one run in 4 1/3 innings pitched, holding Foothill to only four hits, while striking out nine and walking none.
“He pitched a very good game,” Foothill Coach Rick Dickerson said. “All four of the pitchers pitched very well today.”
Morgan Dickerson got the start for Foothill and allowed just two earned runs through four innings of work, while Dylan Boyack pitched a scoreless fifth inning of relief.
Burbank reliever Fischer Cabot came on in the fifth with runners on second and third after a Bustos wild pitch. A Cabot wild pitch allowed Justin French to score from third to make it 4-1.
Indeed Foothill fought until the end, loading the bases in the sixth on the strength of walks by Dickerson, Omar Perez and French. But Cabot induced a popup to send Burbank into the Section Tournament, which begins on Saturday at 4 p.m. against Quartz Hill at Tujunga Little League.
“We stranded a few kids,” Dickerson said. “We knew it was gonna be a tight game, we knew our kids were gonna come back.”
Burbank took a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning when Cabot singled in Aidan Anding and Connor Lockheimer scored on Tanner Whitlock’s fielder’s choice.
Thereafter, the game settled into a pitchers’ duel.
Between Bustos and Dickerson, 17 straight batters were retired.
At one point, Bustos struck out five straight batters.
In the third, Burbank’s Chris Fallon and Lockheimer both scored on Chris Peres’ single. Both runs came after Foothill’s only error of the game.
Burbank had just one error itself, as clutch fielding and stellar pitching proved to be the difference.
“They played great defense again today,” Dickerson said. “They’re a very solid team.”
Anding, Lockheimer, Cabot and Peres had all four hits for Burbank, which cashed in on three walks, as well.
Dickerson believes his squad has had a fine season, also.
“It’s been a great run,” said Dickerson, who also got hits from Boyack, Jack Porras and Jack Bradley. “I’m dissapointed [we lost], they’re dissapointed, but it was a great experience.”
