Kennedy Tests Limits in Win Over Chatsworth

Symptoms of a serious standoff: weak knees, white knuckles, fingernails chewed to the quick.

Senior catcher David Bourne, as would each of his Kennedy High teammates, professed to having all of the above in Thursday’s extra-inning circus with Chatsworth.

“I was scared,” Bourne said. “Often.”

In a game chock-full of huge plays and clutch pitching, Kennedy scored two runs in the bottom of the 11th to put away Chatsworth, 2-1, in a wild Northwest Valley Conference game.

It came down to the last play, a grounder to short with one out and the bases loaded in the 11th.

“It’s scary, man,” said Kennedy left-hander Tom Manning, who started and pitched 10 scoreless innings. “I thought it was over.”

It almost was: Chatsworth (13-4, 6-2 in league play) lost by the slimmest of margins. Kennedy (15-2, 6-2) trailed, 1-0, when Keith Thompson stepped in to face reliever Mark Lopez. A hit batter, an infield single and an error had loaded the bases with one out.

Thompson sent a chopper to Chatsworth shortstop Bryan LaCour, whose inside-the-park home run had given Chatsworth the lead in the top of the inning. LaCour flipped to Rod Daryabigi at second for the force, and the latter wheeled and fired wide and in the dirt to first baseman Eric Rovner.

Jeff Tagliaferri crossed the plate as Daryabigi flipped to first. Meanwhile, Bourne bulled homeward from second with the potential winning run. If Rovner digs out the throw, Chatsworth wins, 1-0. If he comes off the bag and makes the catch, it’s tied.

The throw skidded past Rovner and Bourne easily scored the winning run.

It was Kennedy’s second comeback victory over Chatsworth this week and the team’s 10th consecutive win. “Did you see anybody give up?” Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado said. “Tuesday, we won the close game, so we know that as long as there’s one inning, one out or one pitch left, we’re still in the game.”

Manning and right-hander Harry Kenoi were masterful over the first 10 innings. Kenoi allowed five hits, struck out five, walked one and hit four batters. Manning allowed three hits, walked eight, hit three and struck out six.

Manning threw 172 pitches and said his left arm felt “three inches longer.”

Chatsworth left runners in scoring position in the second through ninth innings and stranded 16 in all. George Kassis, who served up LaCour’s homer, earned the win.

“It was a helluva ballgame,” Bourne said. “I knew it would be.”