KENNEDY CLAIMS CROWN GEERY'S PITCHING, MOORE'S 3-RUN TRIPLE DEFEAT ECR KENNEDY 4, ECR 2.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Adam Geery made good on his promise with some help from designated hitter Eric Moore.

A triple by Moore gave Geery his third pitching win of the postseason and Kennedy its first City baseball title since 1996.

Moore's two-out drive to left-center in the seventh drove in three runs to lead the Cougars of Granada Hills to a 4-2 victory over El Camino Real of Woodland Hills in Tuesday's City championship game at Dodger Stadium.

Geery lay awake Monday night doubting his team's chances of winning but told his coach Tuesday morning he would get a win.

``In my first-period class, I asked if I could go to the bathroom,'' Geery said. ``I didn't. Instead I went to the coaches office and told coach (Manny) Alvarado that I'm gonna give him his fifth ring.''

After being given his first lead of the game, Geery (5-5) responded by retiring the side in order in the bottom of the seventh. The sophomore right-hander struck out two of the three batters, including the final batter, Christian Hariot, on three pitches.

Geery dropped to his knees and was mobbed by his teammates, who celebrated their fourth consecutive victory over a higher-seeded team.

Geery was not originally slated to start at third base for the ninth-seeded Cougars and had been asking for the pitching assignment since he threw a three-hitter in the semifinal against Banning. He also threw a four-hitter in the opening round.

Geery allowed two earned runs and struck out seven at Dodger Stadium.

ECR starter Greg Acheatel dueled Geery for most of the game, shutting down an offense that had exploded during the playoffs.

After Chad Shaw reached on a fielder's choice in the second inning, Acheatel retired the next 11 batters. Brandon Burton broke the streak by leading off the sixth with a single up the middle. Moore sacrificed him over and a double just inside the third-base line by Jon McKim scored pinch runner Isaac Montes to make it 1-1.

Kennedy (23-11-1) had produced 30 hits in its last two games and outscored the opposition 27-6 in a postseason run that included an 11-4 upset of defending champion and No. 1 seed Chatsworth in the quarterfinals.

``This is the type of ballgame we wanted,'' Alvarado said. ``When it was 1-0, we stayed in the game. We thought we could win because of our defense.''

ECR (21-9) scored a run in the second and broke a 1-1 tie in the sixth with three consecutive singles and a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Casey Caplan.

The defense that had been one of Kennedy's biggest assets was solid again with plays such as a diving catch by center fielder Danny Mata - but it had a momentary lapse in the sixth. No one covered first on an attempted sacrifice by Sean McElroy, allowing the Conquistadores to load the bases with none out. Two batters later, Caplan's fly to center scored Conor Jackson.

However, ECR's defense gave the Cougars a break with two errors and a botched rundown play in the seventh.

Acheatel, who gave up just three hits, was removed after walking Phil Avlas to start the seventh. The next three batters reached base.

The Conquistadores gave Geery a dose of the pressure he said he craves when the first four batters of the second inning reached base. Jason Kort was hit by a pitch to start the inning and two batters later scored on a single by Beau Savage.

Geery was in command early as he struck out ECR leadoff man Tim Harding looking on three pitches. Hariot followed with a single for just the eighth hit of the postseason off Geery, but Hariot was caught stealing, Geery got out of the inning facing the minimum three batters.

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, chart

Photo:

(1 -- color) Kennedy's Adam Geery celebrates scoring the tying run in the 7th inning at Dodger Stadium.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(2 -- 3) Above, Kennedy's Bobby Phillips is mobbed by teammates after scoring one of the Cougars' four runs. Below, El Camino Real's Greg Acheatel grieves after losing the City title.

Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer

Chart: GAME RECAP