Kendall Brothers Lead Torrance Past Mira Costa

More than 20 years after Fred Kendall graduated from Torrance High School, his baseball bloodlines are paying off for his alma mater.

Kendall made the major leagues as a catcher, hitting .234 over an 11-year career that began and ended with the San Diego Padres. And today, 10 years after Kendall retired from baseball, his sons are carrying on at Torrance.

Senior pitcher Mike Kendall and his younger brother, Jason, a sophomore catcher, both played big parts in Torrance’s 16-1 victory Wednesday afternoon over visiting Mira Costa at Torrance Park.

Jason Kendall caught for his big brother and helped him out at the plate as well. Jason singled to left field in the first inning to drive in a pair of runs, then tripled to right and scored in the third.

Jason finished off a three-for-three afternoon by lining a single past a diving Jason Garner, the Mira Costa starter turned shortstop, to chase home two more Torrance runs in the fifth.

Mike Kendall, a hard-throwing right-hander, improved his record to 3-0 with nine strikeouts in five innings. Eight of Kendall’s strikeouts were called.

“Mike has been the man for us so far,” said Torrance Coach Jeff Phillips, whose Tartars improved to 6-1. “The most runs we’ve given up in a game so far is five, and that’s our only loss.”

The Tartars pounded out 16 hits for the afternoon and chased Garner in the third. Mira Costa relief pitchers Andy Owens and Jeff Diussa didn’t fare much better, and the Mustangs fell to 1-5.

Torrance second baseman Ruben Moreno went four for four with two doubles and a triple, and drove in three runs.

Antone Williamson, Torrance’s third baseman and leading hitter, raised his season RBI total to 13 with a pair Wednesday. Williamson went four for four, including a pair of doubles and two stolen bases.

Torrance, 11-15 last season, is the South Bay’s most surprising team this year. The Tartars’ only loss so far was a 5-3 defeat by Cerritos in the El Segundo Tournament.

Torrance gets a rematch at Cerritos on Saturday at 11 a.m. in the first round of the Palos Verdes/Redondo Tournament.

“I don’t blame anybody for being surprised, because we hadn’t done anything in the past,” Phillips said. “We have a long way to go, but we’ve got to be real pleased with the way we’re playing.”