HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP : Kearny’s Feistel Bounce Back With Victory

Kearny’s Eddie Feistel stepped on a pitcher’s mound for the first time in more than a month on Monday, but it only took one pitch before he knew he was back.

“I felt real good once I got that first one over,” he said. “No pain.”

Ten batters and nine outs later, Feistel felt even better. It was his three innings of near-perfect relief--as well as his three stolen bases--that enabled the Komets to beat Escondido, 4-3, in a AA Division game in the 42nd annual Lions/Mike Morrow Baseball Tournament at Escondido High.

Kearny (6-7-1) is 2-0 in the tournament with a final round-robin game today against Madison (1-1 in the tournament). Escondido (7-7) is 0-2. Kearny has not won a Lions title since 1976, but a victory today would put the Komets in Wednesday’s semifinals.

Feistel, a senior right-hander, was 2-0 with a 0.58 earned run average and Kearny was 3-0-1 when Feistel felt a twinge of tendinitis in his right forearm during a game against Santana in early March.

Kearny lost that game and six of seven others before rebounding against Santana, 6-4, on Saturday. Feistel said he was ready to resume pitching Saturday, but the Komets’ Pat Ancmon was in control and finished with a six-hitter.

Feistel got his chance Monday. He replaced right-handed starter Jason Slyh to begin the fifth inning and allowed only a sixth-inning walk. Slyh allowed three hits, one walk and three runs and struck out six.

Escondido’s Mike Frank drove in two runs with a double in the first inning and a sacrifice fly in the third, and Nick Terrazas drove in Frank in the first inning with a double.

All four of Kearny’s runs came as a result of walks. The Komets got only four hits, including two by catcher Travis Krant.

Sophomore Carlo Adame walked and scored in both the second and fourth innings, and Feistel walked, stole second and third and scored in the fourth to make it 3-3.

In the sixth, Feistel led off with a walk, went to second on a sacrifice and third on a stolen base. After walks to Krant, Aaron Springer and Richard Cesena, Feistel walked home with the winning run.

Walks had been Kearny’s demise during the time Feistel was unable to pitch. On Monday, the reverse was true as Escondido pitchers Mike Ferguson and Mike Frank (4-1) issued nine.

Said Cougar Coach Bill Kutzner: “We didn’t make the pitch when we needed.”