SGV stays alive, 13-0

ARCADIA — Behind a three-hit complete-game shutout from A.J. Talt, the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth All-Stars continued their trend of winning big in the Southern California round of the 2008 16-18-year old Babe Ruth Tournament with a 13-0 drubbing of the La Crescenta/Glendale All-Stars in an elimination game on Wednesday at Arcadia High.

In each of San Gabriel Valley’s three wins, the team has posted 10 runs or more and won by an average margin of over 13 runs, with its only loss coming, 6-1, at the hands of Arroyo Seco on Sunday.

That loss knocked San Gabriel Valley into the losers’ bracket, but it has now played its way back into position to play the loser of Wednesday’s Arroyo Seco-North San Gabriel Valley game today for the right to play the winner of that game for the Southern California championship on Friday.

“These kids can swing the bat and it’s the same old thing as every summer — the more they play together, the better they’ll get and you get a little chemistry,” said San Gabriel Valley Manager Phil Torres, who is also the head coach at Crescenta Valley High and has led San Gabriel Valley to two consecutive Babe Ruth World Series titles and three of the last four. “It’s kind of nice that we’re getting some more games, not the way you wanted it, but it could work out in our advantage where we get to swing the bat and play together more.”

San Gabriel Valley had 11 hits on the day and did much of its damage with the long ball.

With his team already leading, 1-0, San Gabriel Valley first baseman Tim Smoley smacked a three-run home run to right field for a 4-0 advantage.

La Crescenta/Glendale starting pitcher Justin Rivas was chased with one out in the bottom of the second after surrendering a two-run home run to Regis that made the score 7-0.

Hoover High graduate Jason Ochart relieved Rivas and his very first pitch was taken to the warning track, but stayed in the park for the second out.

Ochart’s fortunes took a turn for the worse, however, as San Gabriel Valley extended the inning with two walks before another home run cleared the fence to bump the lead up to 10-0.

In the fifth inning, Crescenta Valley senior-to-be Zack Torres (0 for one) led off the inning with a walk. Falcons teammate Matt Ashby (one for two), who will be a senior, moved Torres to second with a single.