McMullen’s Curves Lift Kennedy, 8-3

Cody Beaumaster is one of two three-year varsity players on the Kennedy High baseball team.

On Tuesday in a Northwest Valley Conference game at El Camino Real, Beaumaster was the only player on the team who did not play. However, it was the senior pitcher’s experience that helped make the difference in an 8-3 victory.

The Golden Cougars scored five runs in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie. Kennedy (7-4, 5-2) has pulled out a victory in the final inning in two of its past three games.

Beaumaster, who will pitch Thursday against El Camino Real, has been working with winning pitcher Mike McMullen on developing a curveball.

“The first couple games, my curve wasn’t too good,” McMullen said. “I wanted to learn it and Cody showed me how to throw it. I can’t always rely on my fastball. We worked on it whenever we could last week when it was raining. He’s been our pitching coach for the team all year.”

McMullen (4-1) proved to be a quick learner. The senior right-hander struck out seven and recorded his third complete game. McMullen had four strikeouts and allowed only one hit in the last three innings.

“We’re a young ballclub and everybody helps each other out,” Beaumaster said of Kennedy, which has five sophomores and four juniors on its 14-player roster. “Mike’s curve was breaking today and he’s starting to get some respect.”

Kennedy batted around in a five-hit seventh to put the game out of reach. John Davis singled in David Bourne to give the Golden Cougars a 4-3 lead. Jeff Tagliaferri drove in two more with a single and scored on a double by Troy Bourne. Bourne scored on a single by Jason Makahon to complete the scoring.

El Camino Real (4-4, 4-4) took advantage of three errors to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning.