San Gabriel Valley

GLENDALE — This summer had the elation of victories in championship games and the heartbreak of losses that ended seasons. It had memorable walkoff home runs and outstanding performances from a number of youngsters. Above all, the summer was highlighted by the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth baseball team — with a contingent of Crescenta Valley High athletes — that captured the World Series in the 16- to 18-year-old division. San Gabriel Valley wasn't the only team to make treks outside of Southern California.

LOS ANGELES ?Baseball players don't wear earrings. At least that's how Tommy Lasorda sees it. While being honored Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium for winning the Babe Ruth baseball World Series, the San Gabriel Valley baseball team learned at least one piece of valuable information. "I told these kids to get those earrings off," said legendary Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda to a couple of the team's players. "If you want to be a big leaguer, you better look like a big leaguer."

GLENDALE ? A sextet of locals on the San Gabriel Valley baseball team aren't the only area players competing in summer tournaments. While their high school teammates were participating in the Babe Ruth Baseball 16- to 18-year-old World Series in Newark, Ohio, a pair of other Crescenta Valley High athletes were taking part in the Babe Ruth Baseball 16-year-old World Series at Burlington Field in Monticello, Ark. Drew Elliott and Travis Feldman...

GLENDALE ? A game into the Babe Ruth Baseball 16- to 18-year-old World Series, the San Gabriel Valley baseball team put itself in a hole. San Gabriel Valley, featuring six locals, began the 38th annual double-elimination tournament at the Babe Ruth National Complex at Don Edwards Park in Newark, Ohio with a 2-1 loss to Youngstown, Ohio on Saturday. A day later, San Gabriel Valley ? which includes Dustin Emmons, George Adrian, Micah Dunham, Kam Krise, Bryan Longpre and Zack Torres of Crescenta Valley High ?

GLENDALE ? Here?s something worth noting with respect to many of the nine area athletes competing on the San Gabriel Valley 16-18 Babe Ruth All-Star team: They are quite capable of changing a game quickly. A perfect example came Wednesday night. Troy Mulcahey, Troy Prasertsit and Nate Rousey of Crescenta Valley High each had two hits to help lead San Gabriel Valley to an 11-4 victory against Long Island in an American Division pool-play game of the Babe Ruth World Series in Moses Lake, Wash.

GLENDALE — To put it bluntly, the San Gabriel Valley 16-18 Babe Ruth All-Stars threw away a chance to advance to today’s Babe Ruth World Series, or at least a chance to keep their opponent, the Hammond (Ind.) Chiefs, from doing so in a semifinal game at Moses Lake, Wash. on Friday. With the Chiefs threatening with two outs and runners at the corners in the bottom of the eighth inning of a tie game, San Gabriel Valley catcher Matt Page tried to gun down Kevin Franchetti on his way to stealing second base.

GLENDALE — To get the newest cast of players acclimated to the lofty expectations set by its brethren, San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 All-Star baseball Coach Phil Torres made a video presentation. Torres, who also serves as the Crescenta Valley High baseball coach, showed highlights from the San Gabriel Valley squad that won the 2006 World Series championship and explained the rigors of what it takes to beat some of the top-flight national programs. "It's so they understand the tradition," said Torres, whose piloted San Gabriel Valley to three championships since 2004 and will seek a fourth, beginning when San Gabriel Valley meets Middle Atlantic in a World Series American Division pool-play contest at 11 a.m. today at Ephrata High in Ephrata, Wash.

Though it had been together for nearly a week, the San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth 16-18 All-Star baseball team already knew its main strength - a dependable starting pitching rotation. For San Gabriel Valley to return to the World Series for the first time in two years, it would have to rely on its starters going deep into games at the Pacific Southwest Regional Tournament while protecting slim leads. The rotation proved to be up to the challenge, with Kyle Murray getting things started.

Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian is in a fight for his seat on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority after failing to get appointed for another term - an outcome he claimed was orchestrated by officials upset by his opposition to a 710 Freeway extension through Pasadena. Several representatives for San Gabriel Valley - who've been pushing to connect the 710 and 210 freeways - declined to support Najarian at a procedural vote last week of the City Selection Committee, a group of elected officials from cities throughout Los Angeles County that send nominations for confirmation to the MTA board.

GLENDALE ? The chances that the 16- to 18-year-old San Gabriel Valley Babe Ruth baseball team would reach the World Series championship appeared slim. San Gabriel Valley, which features six area players, lost its first tournament game Saturday. It then proceeded to go on a five-game winning streak and now has championship aspirations once again. San Gabriel Valley advanced to the championship game on Thursday night with a 7-1 victory against Hammond, Ind. in a second-chance bracket game at the Babe Ruth National Complex at Don Edwards Park in Newark, Ohio.