High School Winter Sports : Hart Hits Two Jackpots in Vegas; Kennedy Splits Pair Across Town

It doesn’t seem to matter where Hart High baseball Coach Bud Murray takes his unbeaten Indians to play--they’re starting to leave an impression everywhere they go.

After storming to the prestigious El Segundo tournament title in the preseason and starting off Foothill League play with a 3-0 record, Hart is spending its spring break playing in the eight-team El Dorado tournament in Las Vegas.

The Indians spent the first day of the tournament letting all observers know that The Times’ No. 2-ranked Valley-area team had arrived, as they blitzed San Gorgonio, 16-1, and Las Vegas, 13-3, on Thursday.

Hart (11-0) banged out 33 hits in the two games, including seven doubles against San Gorgonio.

“This team’s starting to hit the ball, it seems,” Murray quipped.

Hart also did the job on the mound, however, as junior Jason Edwards and senior Chris Matkin each pitched impressive complete games.

Edwards (6-0) scattered six hits, walked one and struck out 11 against San Gorgonio.

“He did a great job. He spots the ball pretty well,” Murray said. “And he throws a really tough slider. He’s just a good pitcher.”

Not be outdone, Matkin (4-0), a right-hander who throws sidearm, also struck out 11 against Las Vegas, walking only two.

Against San Gorgonio, Hart second baseman Darin Tsukashima was 4 for 4 with five runs batted in. First baseman Ray Gardocki nearly duplicated that feat, going 4 for 4 with three RBIs. Third baseman Dave Toledo had two doubles, and earned praise from Murray along the way.

“Toledo just played outstanding today,” he said, citing Toledo’s defensive and offensive efforts. “He really did a super job.”

In the second game, Toledo had another double, but it was Hart’s nine-run sixth inning that proved to be the difference as the Indians turned a 4-3 lead into a rout.

Gardocki’s three-run double highlighted the inning. Catcher Casey Burrill added his fifth home run of the season and outfielder Joey DeSchryver hit his first.

DeSchryver and Tsukashima each had two hits in the second game. Shortstop Robby Davis had three hits as Hart roughed up three Las Vegas pitchers.

Hart will play Kingman, Ariz., today, the third of four games the team will play. And from what Murray says, and the way Hart is playing, it seems the Indians can hardly wait to get on the field again.

“The kids are having a real good time,” he said.