PARACLETE'S UNBEATEN SEASON DERAILED : KERN VALLEY 7, PARACLETE 4.

Byline: Gerry Gittelson Daily News Staff Writer

The first pitch set an ominous tone for Paraclete High.

Justin Kolesar booted a routine grounder, then made another error on his next chance. Two walks and one grand slam later, Kern Valley had a very early six-run lead, and the Spirits were on their way to a 7-4 loss Friday that spoiled a perfect regular season.

High Desert League champion Paraclete finished 19-1 instead of 20-0.

``It sure would have been nice to get the win and stay undefeated,'' coach Steve Hagerty said, ``but we learned we're not invincible.''

Starter Jason Brown (6-1), who entered with a 0.97 ERA, was not his usual sharp self.

Overconfidence?

``I don't think I was focused,'' Brown said.

Kern Valley (18-3, 8-2) never figured to be an easy obstacle. The Broncs had won the league title four of the past six years and had revenge on their mind after losing to Paraclete 8-5 on six late unearned runs three weeks ago.

James Tate (7-1) held the high-scoring Spirits to six hits. Paraclete featured seven .400 hitters, but Tate kept them off-balance with a steady stream of off-speed pitches, mostly sidearm curveballs.

Cleanup hitter Robert Fockaert didn't see a fastball until his third at-bat - he took advantage with a two-run home run - and admitted he and his teammates weren't used to such finesse pitching.

``(Tate) just kept throwing breaking balls,'' Fockaert said. ``I thought we were ready, but things just didn't go our way.''

Paraclete scored its first two runs in the fourth on David Brown's double, two errors and Jason Brown's sacrifice fly.

Shawn Baker, who hit the grand slam for Kern Valley, added a fourth-inning double, later scoring on Daniel Zigler's grounder.

Reliever Matt Parris held Kern Valley scoreless through the last three innings. But after Fockaert's home run, fizzling Paraclete failed to move a runner past first base the rest of the way.