Kennedy Unable to Walk the Walk

Give the Kennedy High baseball team eight walks, as Miami Westminster Christian pitcher Keith Brice did Wednesday night, and the potent Golden Cougars usually take advantage.

But the Warriors showed why they are USA Today’s top-ranked team in the nation by holding Kennedy to three hits in a 4-1 victory in the semifinals of the Fullerton tournament at Titan Stadium.

Kennedy (16-3) will play Mountain View St. Francis in the third-place game at 11 a.m. today at El Dorado High.

But the 13th-ranked Golden Cougars had their chance to advance to the final.

Senior David Soto (0-1), who has rarely pitched this season, struck out seven and allowed four hits before leaving after four innings with Kennedy trailing, 2-1.

“I just ran out of gas,” Soto said. “I was real pumped up going in.”

Soto was relieved by Aldo Pinto, who gave up two runs on three hits in the fifth.

“A tournament like this puts a lot of stress on the pitching staff; it makes you go real deep,” Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado said. “I was happy with the way they pitched.”

Kennedy mustered one final rally in the bottom of the sixth, putting runners on first and second with none out, but pinch-hitter Derek Morse hit into a double play to help kill the threat.

Brice (6-0), who has signed a letter of intent with Florida, pitched a three-hitter with four strikeouts and the eight walks. Even though its lineup boasts seven batters hitting above .300, a sixth-inning single by Nick Intenzo was Kennedy’s only hit after the second inning.

The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the second. Manny Crespo led off with a single that almost took Soto’s head off and later scored on a single by Raul Pujol

Kennedy came back in the third when Brice walked three consecutive batters with one out. Josh Miranda scored on what looked to be a sure double-play ground ball to second baseman James Davis, who booted the play.

But Jon Garland struck out and Christian Bartlett popped out to the second baseman, stranding three runners.

Westminster Christian (25-0-1) pulled ahead for good in the fourth when Mark Walker singled, moved to second on a forceout and scored on two wild pitches by Soto.