Stalzer Tosses Complete Game Shutout as Cougars Defeat Baldwin

In a pitching duel at Kennedy High School yesterday between the Cougars and the Baldwin Bruins, one run in the bottom of the fifth inning was all Kennedy needed in order to come away with a win.

But just in case, the team made the final inning a little easier on its starting pitcher Robbie Stalzer by scoring four insurance runs, as Kennedy went on to a 5-0 victory.

Stalzer pitched phenomenally as he struck out eight in the win. He kept the Bruins batters guessing and uncomfortable in the batter's box by changing location and speed.

 "That's the third game in a row that he was basically dominating," Kennedy coach Eric Passman said.  "His curve ball's unhittable and when he gets his fastball over he's a really good pitcher."

That huge breaking curve ball that Passman was talking about didn't hurt his cause either.  Stalzer was freezing Baldwin hitters all afternoon when he threw that pitch for strikes.  And when he didn't, the Bruins were chasing them anyway.

"The game-plan was to throw curve balls because we knew they were a good fastball hitting team, as they've showed the last few games they've played," Stalzer said. "When I was able to throw curve balls for strikes I was definitely able to get them off balance a little bit."

After Monday's game at Baldwin, which Kennedy lost 9-7, Passman was a little frustrated by the fact that all of the Cougars hits came with the bases empty. The Kennedy team was able to bring a smile to its coach's face on Tuesday by hitting with runners in scoring position.

"In the past we've hit when there's nobody on base, today we came up with some big timely hits," Passman said.

Tommy Kelleher also had a good outing for the Bruins. Before getting roughed up for four runs in the sixth inning, he only allowed one run on four hits, striking out three.

"I thought he did a great job out there," Baldwin coach Frank Esposito said. "He was on top of his game again today. We just can't get runs when he's on the mound, we give him no support."

The Cougars will look to take the momentum from the win into their next game at Calhoun on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.