Serna, San Fernando Are Hit Hard by Revenge-Minded Kennedy, 10-1

When San Fernando and Kennedy highs met a month ago, San Fernando right-hander Frank Serna limited the Golden Cougars to three hits in an 18-0 win.

On Thursday at Kennedy, Serna, working in relief this time, again allowed only three hits. However, they were three consecutive home runs in the fourth inning of revenge-minded Kennedy’s 10-1 Mid-Valley League victory.

Kennedy (10-5-1 overall, 5-3 in league) pulled to within one game of first-place San Fernando (8-4, 6-2).

“I’ve been waiting a long time for this game,” said Kennedy catcher V.P. Pajcin, who drove in three runs with two singles and a solo home run, his first of the year. “I couldn’t get it off my mind. Eighteen to nothing was embarrassing.”

It was clear that the entire team shared Pajcin’s sentiments as Kennedy hammered 15 hits off starter and loser Bobby Aparicio (1-2), Serna and Rudy Vargas. With Kennedy leading, 5-1, in the fourth, Jeff Burton and Gino Tagliaferri hit Serna fastballs over the fence in left. Pajcin followed with an inside-the-park home run to center for an 8-1 lead, which was more than enough for lefty Colin Hines (3-1), who threw a five-hit complete game.

“Three home runs in a row is remarkable,” said Tagliaferri, who also had a single and two triples in addition to his fourth home run of the season. “Jeff’s leadoff homer pumped me up and V.P. was just plain psyched up.”

Kennedy jumped in front, 2-0, in the first inning. With two out, Burton doubled and went to third on Tagliaferri’s infield hit. Burton scored and Tagliaferri advanced to second on a balk. Pajcin singled home Tagliaferri.

Tagliaferri opened the third with a towering, 400-foot triple off the fence in left-center and scored on another Pajcin single. Donald Williams singled Pajcin to third, and he then scored on an errant pickoff throw, with Williams taking second. After moving to third on an infield out, Williams scored on a squeeze bunt by Shawn Madden to give Kennedy a 5-0 lead.

San Fernando scored its only run in the fourth. Albert Torrez singled and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Torrez took third on a bloop single by Rudy Sanchez and scored on a Robert Chavez ground out.