No championship game has had the personalities and superstars that showed up on this night. Granada Hills was seeking its second straight title and featured a third baseman by the name of John Elway. Crenshaw was led by a tall, thin young slugging outfielder/pitcher by the name of Darryl Strawberry. In addition, the Cougars had future National League All-Star Chris Brown playing third base.
With all this talent, a great game was expected. However, not unlike many of the Super Bowls Elway would go on to play in, the game itself was a disappointment.
After Granada Hills grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first, Crenshaw came back with three runs in the top of the third off of starting pitcher John Stevens, one of which scored when Stevens let a return throw from the catcher go through into center field inadvertantly as he thought there was a steal attempt on. After miscues like this, Elway was summoned from third base to the mound to pitch for the first time since early in the season. Elway quelled the rally and the Highlanders regained the lead in the bottom of the third with two runs off of Strawberry.
The game turned dramatically in the top of the fifth. Crenshaw had its first two runners reach and Strawberry was at the plate. Despite being considered one of the best hitting prospects ever, Strawberry was told to sacrifice, which Elway turned into a force play at third. Still Crenshaw had two on with one out and Chris Brown up.
Now the call was for a double steal and the lead runner was gunned out at third. Elway then struck out Brown to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Granada Hills scored six times to chase Strawberry off the mound and into the outfield and Elway held on for a 10-4 victory, striking out Brown again to end the game.