Recap
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA — Kennedy traveled to Santa Margarita to take on the Tesoro Titans Friday afternoon and came up a run short in a continuation of the Elks Tournament. The loss continued the Kennedy early season troubles as they saw their record slump to 1-6.
Tesoro wasted no time in jumping out to a one run lead in the first inning. Kennedy tied it up in the 3rd when Evan Chadwick was hit by a pitch and Wyatt Johnson drove him home with a deep drive over the center fielder’s head.
But the Titans wasted no time in re-establishing their one run lead in the bottom half of that same inning when a single and a double chased home a run before there was an out. They added another run in the 5th and rested on a 3-1 lead as the game moved into the final frame.
With two out in the 7th, Ryan Cathcart singled and came around to score when the Tesoro right-fielder misplayed Chadwick’s fly ball. But that was as close as the Irish would get, and the final score of the game was 3-2 Tesoro.
Wyatt Johnson pitched 6 innings for Kennedy, allowing three runs, only two of which were earned. HIs fastball was overpowering at times, sending 8 Titans down on strikes. Ethan Oliver relieved in the 7th and worked through a bases loaded jam to hold Tesoro scoreless in that frame.
At the plate, Kennedy managed only 4 hits. Besides Johnson’s towering double in the 3rd inning, Tyler Beckler, Chase Leonard and Cathcart added a single each.
The Irish take a needed rest next week and return to action March 7 in a doubleheader against Newport Harbor.