High School Baseball : Kennedy Sheds El Camino Real in Ninth, 8-7

Kennedy High scored twice in the eighth inning and four times in the ninth, yet barely held on to defeat El Camino Real, 8-7, Tuesday in a Northwest Valley Conference baseball game at El Camino Real.

Denny Sharp struck out Jason Cohen with the tying run at second base in the ninth inning to finally quell the Conquistadores, who rallied to tie in both the seventh and eighth but stranded the winning run in both innings.

El Camino Real knotted the score, 2-2, in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Del Marine. But Kennedy (10-2 overall, 6-1 in league play) pulled ahead in the eighth on a two-out, two-run single by Lazaro Campos.

El Camino Real (1-6) tied the score again as junior Ryan McGuire, who had three hits and four runs batted in, doubled to score Greg Lederman and Jeff Marks.

In the ninth, Kennedy scored four times off reliever Steve Smith (0-2). Gino Tagliaferri belted a run-scoring double, Shawn Madden added a two-run single and Smith walked James Campbell with the bases loaded to score Madden.

In other Northwest Valley Conference games:

Chatsworth 7, Granada Hills 1--Derek Wallace (6-0) pitched a five-hitter and was four for four, including two triples and a double, to pace the Chancellors (10-2, 7-0) at Granada Hills.

Canoga Park 8, Cleveland 4--The Hunters capitalized on six Cleveland errors--three in a four-run fifth inning--to rally at Lanark Park. Canoga Park (2-5) took a 5-4 lead in the fifth, then added three runs--with the aid of three more Cleveland errors--in the sixth.

VALLEY PAC-8 CONFERENCE

Sylmar 10, Van Nuys 0--Nino Romo pitched a four-hitter and struck out six for host Sylmar. The Spartans (5-2) had 15 hits and chased starter John House (2-2) with a five-run first inning. Sylmar extended its lead to 9-0 after two innings.

Monroe 12, North Hollywood 5--Home runs by Tim Costic and Henry Valdez powered Monroe’s 15-hit attack at North Hollywood. Costic (3-0) pitched a complete game despite yielding 11 hits and two home runs.

Grant 13, Birmingham 11--Sean Goldman’s single drove in two runs in a three-run seventh inning to lift Grant (4-2) at Birmingham.

Poly 13, Reseda 3--Robert Flores hit a grand slam and Eddie Chavez added a three-run home run for Poly. Adulfo Hernandez and Gabe Chavez each had three hits for the Parrots.

GOLDEN LEAGUE

Canyon 6, Palmdale 3--Rick Gombos hit a two-run home run in the fifth to seal the victory for Canyon (7-6, 4-0).

Saugus 9, Quartz Hill 4--George Lopata doubled in two runs in the fourth inning to lead the host Centurions. Roger Salkeld (5-0), who pitched three hitless innings and struck out six, got the win.