La Palma, CA — There are many qualities that go into the making of a good baseball team.  Strong hitting, good defense, dominating pitching and speed on the base paths are all ingredients that might be found in a good team.  But the great teams always have another quality.  It’s something that could be called character or grit or the ability to grind it out in clutch situations.  Saturday might be a day that we look back upon and recognize as the day that the Kennedy baseball team began to show true character. Playing their seventh game in 8 days, the Irish took on Estancia and the toll of the week showed early.  They were sluggish and slow, having difficulty mounting a serious attack.  Four batters into the game they were already down 2-0 and with the offense struggling to make contact, it seemed that might be enough to carry them to defeat.  It only got worse in the fifth when Estancia rallied for 2 more runs to take a commanding 4-0 lead. Meanwhile, the Irish batters could manage only 2 hits over the same stretch and had gone down on strikes seven times.  When the first two batters were retired in the bottom of the sixth, leaving Kennedy with only 4 outs until defeat, it looked like their 5 game winning streak was history.  But that is when the Irish dug deep down and began to show their character.  It was a team effort that required different players to work together in a spectacular effort. It began with Johnny Soto ripping a two out sinking drive to left that fell just short of a diving glove.  Wyatt Johnson drove a bullet over short to put two runners on and with Sebastian McSherry at the plate, Soto and Johnson stole themselves into scoring position.  McSherry, who continued his hot hitting with 2 hits on the day, then blasted a double to the wall in left, scoring both runners and bringing the score to 4-2. But, although Tyler Beckler worked a walk and both runners again stole into scoring position, a strikeout ended the threat and seemingly crushed the hopes of a comeback. Tyler Beckler took over the pitching duties in the top of the seventh and shut down Estancia one more time to set up one last opportunity for Kennedy in the bottom of seven. Jaelyn Edds, who had singled earlier and had a good day both at the plate and in the field, led off the inning with a crucial and courageous performance.  Having worked the count full, he proceeded to foul off pitch after pitch, battling to a 10 pitch at bat before finally outlasting the Estancia hurler and drawing a walk.  After a second walk put two runners aboard, Chase Leonard grounded a ball to the right side moving the runners into scoring position before a wild pitch brought Edds home with the third run.  One out later, still trailing 4-3, the Irish were down to their last out with Johnny Soto coming to the plate.  Soto, who ended up with 3 clutch hits in a row, ripped a single and the game was tied up and headed for extra innings. Tyler Beckler returned to the mound and battled for a total of 4 innings, pitching out of difficulty in both the 8th and the 10th inning.  In the 8th, runners were at 1st and 3rd with only one out.  Beckler got the batter to ground to shortstop where Leonard fielded it and shoveled to Edds who relayed it to Munoz for a clutch inning-ending doubleplay.  Beckler’s gritty performance kept the game within reach and got it to the 10th inning. But nothing could have prepared the fans for what would take place in the 10th.  The first two Estancia batters reached base and when the third hitter hit a sinking liner to center it looked as if the Irish effort was destined for disappointment.  But Kennedy had more grit up their sleeves. Ryan Cathcart raced in to make one of the most spectacular, diving, rolling catches of the year.  He was able to spring quickly to his feet and double the runner off of second.  It looked as if Kennedy would escape but a few pitches later, the runner stole second to set up another crucial play. The next Estancia batter ripped a line drive over Jaelyn Edds’ head destined for the gap in right center.  Except that, it never made it over his head.  Edd’s climbed the ladder in a perfectly timed leap to make what seemed like an impossible grab!  The plays kept the score knotted and the game headed to the bottom of the 10th. Leonard led off the final frame by working the count full before coaxing a walk.  Leonard then stole second and went to third when the catcher’s throw went into center field.  With one out and the winning run standing at third, Soto came to the plate. Did I say earlier that Soto had 3 clutch hits in a row?  He had started the 6th inning rally with a two-out single.  He drove in the the tying run in the 7th with a two out knock.  Now, he stood at the plate with the winning run at third.  He quickly fell behind to an 0-2 count, fouling off the next two pitches to stay alive.  Then, with the crowd on its feet, he ripped a no-doubt line drive single to left to bring home Leonard and end one of the greatest Kennedy comebacks in recent history. It took them a while today, but Kennedy overcame their fatigue to show that they had a respectable offense, a formidable defense, a dominating relief pitching performance and some speed.  But what they showed more than anything else is ……. they are a team that has some character.  It was a great day at the ball park!