Turner Sparks Kennedy to Victory Over El Dorado

Third-ranked Kennedy lost its first three league games while last year’s league MVP and all-county pitcher Michelle Turner recovered from illness. Since her return, Kennedy has won three consecutive league games.

The trend continued Tuesday as the Fighting Irish scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a 3-2 victory over first-place El Dorado in Cypress. Kennedy (16-6, 4-3) is in second place, one game behind El Dorado, Loara and Cypress, which are tied for first.

Jennifer McCard laid down a squeeze bunt that scored Turner from third with the winning run when she slid into catcher Kim Sanders and knocked the ball from her grasp. Brooke Porter’s one-out single with the bases loaded had driven in two runs and tied the score.

“I guess we’re not the type of team that gives up easily,” Turner said. “I was out. I kind of kicked it out of her glove.”

Turner gave up four hits and no walks, but two unearned runs by El Dorado (15-9, 5-2) in the sixth inning gave the Golden Hawks the lead, which they maintained until Kennedy came to life in its final at-bat.

El Dorado pitcher Kristen Karanzias had a perfect game through six innings.

Sloppy play by the Fighting Irish almost cost them the game. With El Dorado runners on first and second and one out in the sixth, Kristi Durant hit a sharp ground ball that went through the legs of Breanne Sabol at shortstop. Left-fielder Young failed to back up the play and the ball rolled to the fence, allowing both runners to score and Durant to go to third. Turner then got Kim Sanders to pop up to short and Heather Martin then hit a grounder to Sabol, who fielded the ball cleanly and threw to first for the final out.

“It was a good comeback, but we shouldn’t have even been in that situation,” Kennedy Coach Sue Hall said.

In other games:

Cypress 5, Century 0--Sophomore Candice Baker (11-4) pitched a one-hitter, striking out 12 and retiring the last 20 batters she faced for visiting Cypress (17-5, 5-2). Century is 6-12, 1-6.

Loara 16, Katella 2 (5, mercy)--Alicia Owen had two homers and triple and drove in seven runs for Loara (19-8, 5-2).