Kennedy Submarined, 8-0

If Kennedy High has proven anything three games into the baseball season, it’s that the team is very vulnerable when Jon Garland doesn’t pitch.

Garland, a preseason first-team All-American, didn’t pitch against Chaminade on Tuesday in a San Fernando tournament game . . . and the Golden Cougars lost--again.

Chaminade ace Chris Gray stole the spotlight, tossing a three-hitter against the Times’ top-ranked team, and the Eagles beat Kennedy, 8-0, at Chaminade.

“That kid pitched a great game,” Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado said. “We were unprepared for [him].”

Gray (2-0) baffled hitters with his submarine delivery and silenced a team that is ranked 23rd in the country by Baseball America magazine.

Gray, a 6-foot senior right-hander who began pitching only two years ago, surrendered a double to Josh Miranda, the first batter he faced. With the help of an outstanding defense that turned two double plays, he faced the minimum 21 batters thereafter.

“All I had to do was hit my spots,” said Gray, who threw only 71 pitches and did not walk a batter. “I knew my defense would take care of me.”

The Eagles (3-0) were equally impressive at the plate. Chaminade racked up 10 hits against left-hander Tim Arroyo (0-1) and right-hander Jack Cassel. Arroyo and Cassel combined to walk six and hit three batters.

Chaminade catcher Ryan Hamill ripped a towering three-run home run to right field on a 3-0 fastball in the first. The Eagles added three more runs in the third and single runs in the fifth and sixth.

Brian Kaye went three for four with two runs batted in. Gray and Tyler Dersom each had two hits and Chaminade was helped by five Kennedy errors.

As bad as it was for Kennedy (1-2), which defeated Antelope Valley when Garland pitched and lost to South Gate when he didn’t, it could have been worse: Chaminade stranded 10 runners, including eight in scoring position.