Saturday, November 4, saw the return of the California Crushers (13-4) versus the Burbank Heat (13-3) in the Amateur Softball Association's winter ball tournament. The much-heralded game would pit the Crusher's Jenna Martin against the Heat's Kristin Peraza in a pitching duel for the top seed position in next Saturday's ASA tournament final round. When the first pitch was thrown at 10:11 a.m., it was Elle Navarro on the mound for the Crushers. After four pitches, Navarro was behind in the count withthree balls andone strike. On the fourth pitch, the batter sent a towering homerun ball to deep center field. That would be the only batter Navarro would face, as coach Neal Martin placed Jenna Martin on the mound. Martin faced three batters to close the inning with the Crushers trailing the Heat 1-0.

Like the Crushers, the Heat did not start Peraza, choosing their second pitcher instead, who retired three batters in a row. At the end of the first inning, Burbank Heat was still leading 1-0. Martin equaled the Heat's first inning performance as she made quick work of the three batters she faced at the top of the second inning. The Crushers' Brittni Spears began the bottom of the second inning with a walk from Peraza. Three batters later, she would cross home plate to tie up the game 1-1. Peraza would now be the pitcher of record for the Heat; the game was hers to win or lose.

At the top of the fourth inning, Peraza and the Heat were leading the Crushers 2-1. When the Crushers came up to bat in the bottom of the fourth inning, however, Peraza did not take the mound. Fans would find out later that Peraza was suffering back pains. The fourth inning did not produce runs for either team. The Heat failed to pad their score in the top of the fifth inning. With time quickly running out, the Crushers began the bottom of the fifth inning. Nicole Molin started off the inning with a single, which sent the fans into a frenzy. Angela Parker then stepped into the batter's box, but went down in three pitches. Hope for a victory seemed bleak. Cassie Colon batted third and on the fifth pitch boomed a triple to center field, scoring Molin. The unbelievable now seemed possible: the Crushers were the home team, they had a runner on third with only one out, time had expired so Heat would not be able to bat again (unless the inning ended in a tie), and Roxy Halebian (the team batting leader at .358) was up to bat. Would Roxy be a hero or a goat? On the second pitch, Roxy hit a single to left field, easily scoring Colon. The Crushers had beaten the Heat and could possibly end the round in first place.

Well, the final standings are now out:

High School Division - Major

1st California Crushers (14-4)*

2nd Rebels (14-4)*

3rd Burbank Heat (13-5)

4th Sylmar Lady Hawks (12-5)

5th So Cal Ringers (9-9)

6th West Valley Mayhem (8-10)*

7th Heatwave (8-10)*

High School Division - Minor

1st California Flames (9-8)

2nd Valley T (9-8)

3rd California Thunder (7-10)

4th La Canada (5-12)

5th Lady Raiders (3-14)

6th Impression (3-14)

*Ties were settled based on runs scored in head-to-head play.

On Saturday, November 11, the ASA Championship Tournament will take place. The California Crushers will begin their run to be the Tournament Champion at 8:30 a.m.. For the game's location, contact the Burbank Sports office.