Kennedy Forced to Eat Its Words

After his team’s 7-2 victory Thursday, Monroe baseball coach Bill Hence handed Kennedy Coach Dick Whitney a newspaper.

“I was hoping he wouldn’t get hold of that,” Whitney said.

But Hence did get his hands on a copy of the Kennedy school newspaper story that described the teams’ first meeting, the league opener, in which Kennedy routed Monroe, 10-1.

And it just may have been the spark that led the visiting Vikings to their fourth Mid-Valley League win against two losses.

A few days after the original rout, Hence received the newspaper story in the mail. Among its highlights:

“Kennedy’s Varsity baseball team started league play on the right foot, beating a very weak squad from Monroe, 10-1.”

And later on: “While Kennedy’s play was good, it should be noted that they were playing a much weaker team. Monroe, who always seems to finish its season 0-for-everything, was definitely outclassed and won’t be in the playoff picture.”

But it’s the Golden Cougars, if they continue to play like they have the last week, that will be excluded from post-season play

Eight days ago Kennedy was atop the Mid-Valley League with a 3-0 record. The Cougars then blew a four-run lead to Granada Hills by falling apart defensively. And last Tuesday, Kennedy dropped a 3-2 decision to San Fernando.

On Thursday before a home crowd, Kennedy fell to 3-3 in league, when it made four errors, three of which led to five unearned runs.

“We just can’t keep playing this way,” Whitney said. “We’re beating ourselves. It’s a matter of confidence right now. It’s like, ‘Gosh, don’t hit the ball to me.’ ”

Monroe collected only six hits off Kennedy pitchers Sandy Sreden and Lee Skolnick. It was the errors that did in Kennedy.

And so did the article, to some extent, Hence said.

“I saved the article until yesterday,” Hence said. “Then I read it to the players.

“They were a little ticked off,” he added. “At least, that’s what you can print. I think it gave us a little extra push.”

Monroe’s Jeff Lambert did come out with a little extra in the first inning, belting a Sreden pitch over the left field fence and giving the Vikings a 1-0 lead.

Kennedy tied it in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Greg Synnott and Alberto Pincay walked, and Synnott scored when right fielder Jim Valeri dropped a line drive by George Gonzalez.

Kennedy had the chance to get more in the second inning. With two outs and two men on, third baseman Kevin Farlow ripped a shot toward Monroe pitcher Craig Reed.

Reed was able to get a glove on the ball and slowed it down just enough for second baseman Greg Zuckerman, who had been racing toward the middle, to make a diving stop to his right and get the out at first.

Kennedy took a 2-1 lead in the third when Joey Yurosek singled home Pincay.

And Sreden carried that lead to the fifth inning, having allowed only two Monroe hits.

But then the Kennedy charity drive went into effect.

After Reed led off the fifth by flying out, Valeri reached on shortstop Synnott’s second error of the game.

Robert Morgan then walked, and Scott Floman followed with a high chopper to second baseman Doug Anderson, who threw the ball away, allowing Reed to score and Valeri to reach third base.

Zuckerman’s single then gave Monroe a 3-2 lead. Lambert followed with a booming double to left field to score two more runs, and Monroe closed out the four-run inning.

Sreden exited with two outs in the sixth after Morgan’s triple drove in Reed. Skolnick promptly came in and struck out Floman.

When Floman fanned on a pitch that hit the dirt, Kennedy catcher Sreden was forced to go to first. But his throw glanced off the glove of first baseman Darren Farrell and Morgan came home with the game’s final run.

Reed went the distance for Monroe, allowing seven hits. The 6-1, 175-pound senior walked four and struck out four in recording his second victory in three decisions.

“I thought I pitched pretty good,” Reed said, “although I did get a little tired at the end.”

And he confirmed that the Vikings were indeed inspired by the article Hence had shown them.

“The whole team, everybody was pumped,” Reed said. “The article said we were 0-for-everything and that we didn’t belong in the same league (with Kennedy). Well, now we’re in second and they’re in third.”

That’s definitely something to write about.