Zero Enough for Kunes

Mike Kunes was on the mound in 1997 when Valley Chatsworth was one strike from a berth in the American Legion World Series.

And lost.

It was not going to happen again.

The UCLA-bound left-hander turned in a masterpiece in relief Monday night and Valley Chatsworth rallied to defeat Las Vegas Silverado, 13-8, in the Western Regional championship before 1,068 at Nevada Las Vegas.

Kunes, pitching for the third time in five days and second night in a row, struck out eight and gave up five hits in seven shutout innings to allow his team to overcome an 8-4 deficit.

“Mike Kunes is honestly the biggest clutch guy I’ve ever seen,” said shortstop Matt Fisher, who had four hits and finished the regional with a .630 batting average (17 for 27).

Chatsworth (40-7) will open World Series play Friday in Middletown, Conn., where it will face Mid-Atlantic Region champion Brooklawn, N.J.

Valley Chatsworth will attempt to become the third team from the region to win a national title in 11 years. Woodland Hills West won the championship in 1989 and Newbury Oaks won it in 1992.

Brooklawn will make its second consecutive appearance in the series.

Two years ago, Valley Chatsworth was on the brink of reaching the World Series before Medford, Ore., came back to win in Boise, Idaho.

“It wasn’t going to happen. Not this time,” said Kunes (6-1), who threw 52 pitches in four innings Sunday against Greeley, Colo., in an 8-4 semifinal victory.

This time, it was Valley Chatsworth that rallied, overcoming a four-run deficit after three innings against the Nevada state champion.

Comebacks have become common for the District 20 champions, who won their 11th consecutive game while facing postseason elimination.

“That’s all we do is fight back,” said second baseman Jason Spector, whose three-run homer in the fifth shrunk the deficit to 8-7.

Fisher made it a five-run inning and a 9-8 lead with a two-run single to center.

Jason Spector, Chad Redfern and Scott Sellz each had three hits for Valley Chatsworth, which won four consecutive games after losing its opener to Las Vegas Durango, 5-4, on Thursday.

Valley Chatsworth had 19 hits and finished the tournament with a .412 team average.

Silverado (53-9) was an unlikely team to be shut down, even by Kunes, the two-time City player of the year.

Silverado had won five of its previous six games via the 10-run rule, and averaged 14 runs and 16 hits over its last 10 games.

It looked like those numbers would be challenged after Silverado tagged starter Sellz for eight runs and 10 hits through two-plus innings.

Enter Kunes. Exit Silverado’s bats.

“[Kunes] was totally dominant tonight,” said Tom Meusborn, who was standing in for Coach Matt LaCour, who is on his honeymoon. “He shut down an awfully good team.”