High School Baseball Playoffs : Daring Fifth Inning Lifts Kennedy, 7-4

Lazaro Campos drove in Travis Bourne with the go-ahead run in the fifth inning as Kennedy High defeated University, 7-4, in a City Section 4-A Division quarterfinal game at Kennedy.

Kennedy will play Sylmar, a 12-11 winner over Taft, in a semifinal game today.

With the score tied, 4-4, after 4 1/2 innings, the Golden Cougars (20-7) used three singles and four stolen bases to produce three runs.

Bourne had singled with one out and stole second before Campos’ hit. Campos was replaced by pinch-runner Bruce Carreau, who stole second. After Danny Gugler walked to put runners on first and second, Kennedy executed a double steal, then loaded the bases when Paul Madrine was hit by a pitch.

Brian Singer followed with a ground ball to second, but Carreau beat the throw home. Mike Murray singled in Gugler for the final run.

Trailing, 2-1, Palisades scored a run in the top of the fourth to tie the score, but Kennedy responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on James Campbell’s double, Murray’s triple and Pat DeBoer’s sacrifice fly.

Kennedy’s Denny Sharp (7-2) allowed 12 hits, but the Golden Cougars turned four double plays--two of which ended innings--to bail him out.

In another City 4-A game:

Palisades 5, Monroe 2--Mario Cobian pitched a three-hitter as host Palisades eliminated the defending City Section champion from the playoffs.

After giving up two runs in the first inning, Cobian (8-0) retired the side in the second through sixth innings before giving up a leadoff single to Tim Costic in the seventh.

Palisades (24-4) scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth to snap a 2-2 tie.

Monroe (11-11) scored its runs on a two-run home run by Adam Clark in the first inning.

SOUTHERN SECTION 1-A DIVISION

Beaumont 7, Village Christian 3--Matt Henzie hit a two-run home run in the fifth and David Brownfield had an RBI single in the sixth, but that was the extent of the scoring for Village Christian (18-8) in the semifinal at Yucaipa High.

Beaumont (21-3) scored three runs in the fourth--on three walks, a double and a single--to take a 5-0 lead.