Kennedy Enjoys the Experience

GRANADA HILLS —  There’s no substitute for experience. Or senior right-hander Jon Garland.

Kennedy High relied on its most experienced player and dominating pitcher to defeat Palisades, 12-4, in a City Section 4-A Division quarterfinal Thursday at Kennedy.

Garland (9-3), projected to be a first-round draft choice next month, pitched a three-hitter and struck out nine in six innings to move the Golden Cougars (22-10) a step closer to a third consecutive City title.

Kennedy plays Banning, a 15-0 winner over Monroe, in the semifinals Tuesday at a site to be determined.

For Garland, the only Kennedy player on the roster each of the past two seasons, victories at this stage of the season are nothing new. The same cannot be said for many of his teammates, who overcame a shaky start and four errors.

“A lot of the guys look to me and say, ‘What’s it like?’ ” Garland said. “I’m like, ‘Let’s win and you can see for yourself.’ ”

Palisades (23-10) parlayed two errors, a hit batter and one of Garland’s three walks into a 1-0 first-inning lead. Garland cooled the Dolphins by striking out Sean White and Ben Rothland with the bases loaded to end the inning.

Kennedy moved ahead to stay with a three-run first inning that included a two-run home run by David Lusk. Palisades remained close when Desi Gebler hit Garland’s first pitch of the second inning over the left-field fence.

“I told my team that Garland’s great, one of the top 10 pitchers in the nation,” Palisades Coach Russ Howard said. “But we felt all right at 3-1 and 3-2. If we could have kept it close we might have given him some trouble. They got a couple of clutch hits when they needed them and we didn’t.”

Garland retired 10 of the next 11 batters, five by strikeout.

Kennedy put the game out of reach with a seven-run third inning to take a 10-2 lead. Jack Cassel delivered a two-out, two-run single to give Kennedy a 5-3 lead. Jairo Quezada had a run-scoring single and Josh Miranda drew a bases-loaded walk.

Garland added to an eight-hit attack with a triple and a two-run single.

“He’s had better games,” Kennedy Coach Manny Alvarado said of Garland.

“He’s a little tired today. But next week, I’m sure if he’s tired it ain’t gonna matter.”

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Playoff Matchups

Tuesday’s City Section 4-A Division baseball semifinals

* Chatsworth vs. El Camino Real

* Kennedy vs. Banning

Game sites, times to be announced.

Championship

* Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Dodger Stadium