CASSEL COMES THROUGH : GARLAND STAYS INVINCIBLE DURING KENNEDY VICTORY KENNEDY 4 CHATSWORTH 3.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer Daily News Deputy Sports Editor 

For the first time in three seasons, a City Section baseball team finally had Kennedy High School's invincible Jon Garland on the verge of defeat Thursday.

Inspired by a playoff atmosphere created from playing before Fox Sports West 2 TV cameras and a large crowd at Cal State Northridge, Chatsworth was one strike away from victory. Then Jack Cassel came through with the biggest hit of his young career.

The Kennedy junior third baseman smacked a 2-2 pitch from Tom Morefield into left field for an RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the game. Tim Arroyo followed with a game-winning RBI single to help the Cougars (15-7, 7-2) pull out a thrilling 4-3 Northwest Valley Conference win over Chatsworth (11-7, 6-3).

``It should have been seen on ESPN,'' Chatsworth coach Tom Meusborn said.

Garland, who has a 24-2 lifetime pitching record while never losing to a City team, struck out seven, walked two and gave up five hits. He wasn't at his best after nine days of rest. He usually pitches on Tuesdays but was held back to pitch on TV against the Chancellors. Don't expect coach Manny Alvarado to be so cooperative the next time.

``I didn't feel I was in top form,'' Garland said.

An aggressive Chatsworth team put the pressure on Garland, finally breaking through for two runs in the top of the seventh to take a 3-2 lead. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. A wild pitch allowed the tying run to score and Frank Dipoma's sacrifice fly drove in the go-ahead run.

Morefield, a 6-foot-5 junior right-hander, turned in a gutsy performance for Chatsworth. Kennedy had at least one runner reach base in every inning, but that didn't prevent Morefield from getting out of jams. He struck out seven.

``He gave us the opportunity to win it,'' Meusborn said.

Cassel, however, delivered his seventh-inning double to turn the game around in Kennedy's favor.

``I was very, very tense and shaking in my knees,'' Cassel said. ``He (Morefield) put the ball there, I swung and luckily made contact. That wasn't planned.''

Meusborn might have called upon ace reliever Greg Wold in the seventh, but Wold was unavailable after getting ejected from Wednesday's game against El Camino Real.

The game served as excellent preparation if either team makes it to the City 4-A final at Dodger Stadium. Playing on a college field without a short backstop, catchers David Lusk (Kennedy) and David Sark (Chatsworth) struggled at times trying to block pitches. The first four runs scored came home because of passed balls or wild pitches.

``It was crazy,'' Alvarado said.

Among the other highlights: Lusk threw out three Chatsworth runners trying to steal second. Arroyo had a potential RBI single wiped out in the fifth inning when the ball hit Cassel running toward second. Chatsworth sophomore first baseman Mike Kunes collected two hits off Garland.

Chatsworth is tied for first place in the West Valley Leage with El Camino Real and Taft. Kennedy is two games up on Cleveland in the North Valley League.

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Photo

Photo: Kennedy's Jairo Quezada holds up the ball after tagging out Chatsworth's Bryan Gant during Thursday's game at CSUN.

Tom Mendoza/Daily News