The two-strike hitting drills paid off for Frank Alsamman and Robert Giese, who both drove in three runs for CV. Crescenta Valley scored one run in the first inning and Alsamman delivered the first big blow of the game, a three-run home run in the second inning, to give his team a 4-0 lead.
Alsamman bashed the homer on a 2-2 fastball.
"I was just trying to put a good swing on it," said Alsamman, adding he wasn't nervous facing a 2-2 count because he's practiced for those situations.
The locals scored five runs in the fourth inning for a 9-0 lead, put up five more in the top of the fifth and gave up two runs in the bottom half.
Giese also came up big with two strikes Saturday. He put together a three for three game with three runs batted in for Crescenta Valley.
"I was pretty much sitting on all the right pitches and when I got two strikes the ball just seemed to go right where my bat was," Giese said. "It wasn't luck, it was just reacting to certain circumstances."
Crescenta Valley stayed hot Saturday, coming off a 17-1 win over the Tujunga in the District 16 championship game on Wednesday. Giese said his entire team is feeling confident after outscoring opponents, 31-3, in the past two games.
"Our whole lineup can hit and everyone is putting the bat on the ball," Giese said.
Adrian Damla also hit a two-run homer for Crescenta Valley. Jason Chang started out the game on the mound for the locals and pitched three shutout innings. Four CV pitchers combined to hold Quartz Hill to four hits, while Crescenta Valley had 13 hits.
