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Kennedy players react to bases loaded walk that forced in winning run in 2-1, 8-inning win over Anaheim. (Photos courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone).
Kennedy High’s Fighting Irish can tell you all about the luck of the Irish (basically, if it weren’t for bad luck, there would be no luck at all).
The baseball team lived it this season with only four wins in its first 19 games.
All that changed Monday when the Irish scored an eighth-inning run on a bases loaded walk to knock off visiting Anaheim 2-1 in the first round of the Santa Ana Elks Tournament.
While, at this point, the Irish would be grateful for any win, this one was special.
Anaheim (12-6) is the No. 2 ranked team in the CIF’s Division 6.
To see the slide show, click on the first photo:
The game was a roller coaster for both teams. The two starting pitchers, Anthony Perez for the Colonists and Manny Villalobos for the Irish, each allowed an unearned run in their seven innings of work. Each managed to escape an assortment of tense moments.
The game was a mixture of fine plays and errors (the teams combined for seven
miscues).
Anaheim scored first, in the sixth, when Derrick Pech walked, advanced to third on a wild pickoff throw and scored on an outfield error.
Kennedy threatened in the sixth but the opportunity died when Colonist third baseman, Jillian Albayati, first baseman Aaron Rojas and shortstop Evan Torres collaborated on a 5-3-6 double play that began with Albayati fielding a bunt.
Kennedy got even in the bottom of the seventh when Villalobos opened the inning with a double, pinch-runner Ethan Durniok eventually scoring.
Durnick then pitched a scoreless eighth, surviving a long drive to left that was ruled foul by inches, setting the stage for the Irish heroics in the bottom of the inning.
Jayden Angeli opened the eighth with a double, barely beating the tag at second. Two stolen bases and two intentional walks loaded the bases with no outs.
After a force out at the plate for the first out, pinch-hitter Tylor Balenti walked on eight pitches, bringing in the winning run.
—Courtesy Jim McCormack, For OC Sports Zone
