Dogged Effort by Sharp Lifts Kennedy Over Taft, 5-3

Kennedy High Coach Manny Alvarado tagged pitcher Cody Beaumaster with the nickname “Pup” last season, and after Beaumaster jumped to a 3-0 start this year, there were those who thought the junior right-hander had shown the teeth needed to assume the role of staff ace.

Not so fast, says senior left-hander Denny Sharp, winner of seven games in 1989. Sure, Sharp struggled in his first three starts, but he says he’s still the top dog in these parts. Especially when his curve is biting.

“I’m gonna be the ace this year,” Sharp said, grinning. “He can wait until next season.”

Sharp shrugged off a sluggish start Tuesday, tossing a five-hitter and striking out 11, to lead Kennedy to a 5-3 win over visiting Taft in a Northwest Valley Conference game.

Slow starts have been Sharp’s bane all season, and the trouble has been largely of his own doing: Entering the week, Sharp had walked 14 batters in 19 innings. Against Taft, however, he walked just two.

Taft (4-5, 1-3 in league play) jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, scoring a pair of unearned runs. Brett Reisner, who had two hits, led off with a single and took second when Sharp walked Sean Collins on four pitches.

One out later, Sharp struck out Jamie Zeichick, however, the ball got past catcher Lazaro Campos, who pounced on the ball but heaved his throw well over the head of first baseman Troy Bourne, allowing two runs to score.

Trailing, 3-1, Kennedy (8-1, 4-0) struck for three runs in the bottom of the fourth, and, once again, the rally was sparked by Palmer Drain, who was two for two.

Drain, who last week keyed a pair of late-inning victories, led off with a walk and strolled to second on a passed ball. After tagging and moving to third on a fly ball to center, Drain scored on a two-out single by Jack Moussa.

Moussa promptly stole second and took third on a wild pitch. After Campos walked and stole second, Richard Trujillo, batting eighth in the lineup, drilled a liner that caught second baseman Warren Stewart between bounces for a two-run, bad-hop single.

Staked to a lead, Sharp (3-1) settled down. In the final five innings, he faced just three batters over the minimum and struck out six.

“It’s nice to see the old Denny back,” Alvarado said. “With Pup throwing the way he has, I don’t think there’s a better 1-2 punch around.”