Kennedy Has Double Vision

They’re young, they’ve lost their star player . . and they’re undefeated in Valley Mission League play.

Kennedy High prospered from three run-scoring doubles in the middle three innings and defeated Sylmar, 3-0, Thursday at Brand Park.

The Golden Cougars (17-3, 8-0 in league play) clinched a share of the league title with two games remaining, but Coach Barbara Rodrigue isn’t ready to celebrate.

“We can’t let them sit back at all,” Rodrigue said. “We’ve got to keep working hard.”

Kennedy is a work in progress, according to Rodrigue.

Four freshmen, including pitcher Ryane Montes, are part of the infield.

Although the Golden Cougars have committed twice as many errors as last season, they’ve managed to dodge defeat quite well.

Credit clutch pitching by Montes (13-3), who allowed only two infield hits and struck out six against Sylmar (12-7, 5-3).

Antoinette DaSilva is a freshman who was thrust into the catcher position last month.

Catcher Briana Mathiesen, who batted .492 last season, quit the team about a month ago, opting to have surgery on an injured thumb so she will be ready for travel ball in the summer.

Mathiesen played with a torn ligament in her thumb for half of the season.

But the Golden Cougars certainly didn’t need her against Sylmar when several players gave first-rate performances.

Monique Acedo, the only senior on the team, doubled to right-center field in the third to drive in Montes for a 1-0 lead.

DaSilva doubled into the left-center field gap to drive in Karla Velasco in the fourth.

In the fifth, Marlena Aguirre doubled home Brianne Cavins.

Sylmar advanced runners to second base in the second and seventh innings.

Krystal Mejia singled to lead off the second and went to second on a sacrifice. But Mejia was stranded there when Montes struck out Denise Fierro and Roxanne Catalan to end the inning.

Fierro led off the fifth with an infield single but was thrown out trying to get back to first after Adriana Leon popped out to third baseman Acedo.