City 4-A Baseball Final : Granada Hills Kennedy Downs Palisades, 4-3

Kennedy High School of Granada Hills added to the San Fernando Valley’s record of baseball dominance in the City, defeating Palisades, 4-3, to win the 4-A Division baseball championship Thursday night before 5,206 fans at Dodger Stadium.

The Cougars took the Valley’s 17th consecutive City 4-A title behind the pitching of Mitch Cizek, who allowed six hits and two earned runs in going the distance against Palisades.

Cizek had also picked up the victory Wednesday when he pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief during Kennedy’s 8-7 semifinal win over Sylmar. That was his first outing in 14 days after being sidelined by a cut on his right arm suffered in a household accident.

“The cut was the best thing that ever happened to me,” Cizek said. “My arm was refreshed. I was never tired tonight.”

Both teams had reason to be tired, each playing their third consecutive game in three days and their fourth game within the past week. The 4-A playoff schedule had been condensed because of the Los Angeles teachers’ strike.

Palisades pitcher Mario Cobian was in trouble at the start, giving up an infield single to leadoff batter Mike Murray, and--after a pop-up by Pat DeBoer--walking consecutive batters to load the bases.

Kennedy then scored its first two runs when Travis Bourne lined a hit off second baseman Kevin Fisher’s glove, driving in Murray and Gino Tagliaferri, who had walked.

Cobian was in trouble again in the second inning, when Danny Gugler led off with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a single by DeBoer, giving Kennedy a 3-0 lead.

Palisades got a run off Cizek in the bottom of the second inning when Larry Israel led off with a single up the middle and stole second base. After the bases were loaded on a walk and an error, Israel scored on a sacrifice fly by John Myrow.

Palisades made it 3-2 in the fourth inning with a two-out rally sparked by Myrow, who singled and advanced to second base on a pickoff error by first baseman Travis Bourne. Gary Sandorf’s single then scored Myrow.

Cobian started to tire in the sixth inning when Kennedy loaded the bases and scored on a fielder’s-choice grounder by Palmer Drain for a 4-2 lead.

Palisades rallied in their half of the sixth when Israel and Kevin Boasberg walked and Fisher singled in Israel, cutting Kennedy’s lead to 4-3.

In the seventh inning, Cizek ended Palisades’ hopes with three deep fly-outs, stranding Barry Levine, who had hit a ground-rule double.

Kennedy finished the season 22-7 and Palisades 25-5.

Palisades’ Mike Codron, was named most valuable player of the tournament for his earlier performances, although he went 0 for 4 against Cizek.

Codron, who played right field against Kennedy before pitching the last 1 2/3 innings in relief of Cobian, said he was impressed with Cizek’s control.

“He doesn’t have incredible stuff, but he’s really a smart pitcher,” Codron said. “I did not take a cut I wanted all game.”