CITY SECTION BASEBALL PLAYOFFS : Tagliaferri Puts on His Game Face for Palisades

It is, without question, homage to the Kirk Gibson rally beard, popularized last year by the swashbuckling outfielder of the championship-bound Dodgers. Gibson’s aggressive, death-before-good-grooming attitude rubbed off on teammates, and Kennedy High shortstop Gino Tagliaferri hopes the same happens with his mates.

Even if it rubs him the wrong way.

“It’s not coming off until after we get to D.S.,” said Tagliaferri, whose shorthand refers to Gibson’s stomping grounds. “But let me tell you, it itches like hell.”

So the most feared hitter on the second-seeded team in the City Section 4-A Division baseball playoffs now looks as fearsome as his statistics--13 home runs, including two in three playoff games. Tagliaferri, a senior bound for Fresno State, was four for four in Kennedy’s 8-7 win over Sylmar Wednesday.

Kennedy will face upstart Palisades, the Western League champion. Palisades (25-4) upset top-seeded Chatsworth, 9-8, on Wednesday, scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Kennedy (21-9), the North Valley League champion, will seek to maintain a streak of dominance by Valley teams. The last non-Valley team to win the 4-A title was Venice in 1972.

The Golden Cougars also will seek their third title in the 1980s with a clean sweep of non-Valley teams. Kennedy won the title in 1981 and 1985, each time with victories over Banning.

Palisades’ last trip to the 4-A final was in 1982, the year Cleveland right-hander Bret Saberhagen pitched a no-hitter. Because both teams will be playing their third game in as many days, the prospect of another no-hitter is unlikely.

Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado used each of his three pitchers within the past two days and said he is undecided who will start against the Dolphins.

Junior left-hander Denny Sharp (7-2) pitched a complete-game and allowed 12 hits in a 7-4 win over University on Tuesday and senior right-hander Mitch Cizek (8-4) pitched 3 2/3 innings of relief against Sylmar. Cizek, who sliced open his right forearm in a household mishap nine days ago, was not expected to pitch for the rest of the season.

“I have no idea who to use,” Alvarado said Wednesday. “I have to go with one of the guys who got us here. It’s been Denny of late, with Mitch coming on today.”

This week, Cizek was by far the most effective of the two, allowing no runs and two hits to Sylmar.

“Mitch is a big, strong kid,” Alvarado said. “He is representative of the whole team. If I ask, he’ll take the ball.”

Moments after defeating Sylmar, in fact, Cizek began lobbying Alvarado for the starting job.

Sharp, however, struck out 13 over nine innings in an 11-inning, 5-4 win over Venice last Friday.

Palisades likely will start senior right-hander Mario Cobian, who is undefeated in eight decisions. Mike Codron, the Western League MVP who has batted better than .500 two seasons in a row, pitched a complete game against Chatsworth.