Ray Conner
Sports Editor

The Broncs varsity baseball team started the Farmersville Tournament’s pool play on a winning note.

Facing Exeter, a seven-run fourth propelled Kern Valley (1-0) to the 8-4 win. They sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning. They only had three hits, but the big one came off the bat of Warren Pappas. Pappas took a 0-2 pitch and drove it for a home run behind Kevin Mixon’s lead off single. It was Pappas’ first-ever varsity home run. After that the Exeter pitcher had trouble finding the strike zone as he walked five in giving the Broncs opportunity for the big inning.

On the day, Pappas collected three RBIs, while Austin Kennedy had one RBI. Jordan Lawson and Aaron LaFarga each had one hit in the contest.

Lawson (1-0) was credited with the win. He went four innings allowing five hits and two earned runs. He walked three and struck out seven. Pappas in relief pitched one inning. He gave up two earned runs on one hit. He walked one and struck out one.

Head coach Mike Genthner said, “It’s good to start the tournament and the season on a winning note. We were able to put together three hits and take advantage of their pitcher’s wildness in the fourth inning.”

He went on to say, “Lawson pitched well and we played good defense considering it was our first game.”

The Broncs made it two straight as they defeated Strathmore 3-2 in the second game of pool play. Kern Valley scored the eventual winning run after allowing Strathmore to tie it in the top of the third inning.

The Broncs jumped out in front in the bottom of the second as they pushed two runs across the plate.

With one out, LaFarga worked out a free pass. He promptly swiped second. Corey Mixon at the plate was also given the base on balls and then both runners moved up on stolen bases. Kevin Little’s single drove in both runs.

Strathmore came back and tied it in the top of the third. A lead off double, catcher’s interference and a single produced both runs

The Broncs regained the lead as Lawson led off the bottom of the third with a single and stole second. A sacrifice bunt moved him to third and Kyler Emery knocked in the eventual winning run.

Emery had two hits in the game to lead Kern Valley. Lawson and Little collected the only other hits in the game for the Broncs.

Little (1-0) picked up his first ever varsity victory on the mound. He went four innings allowed the two earned runs. He walked none and struck out four batters.

Kennedy pitched one inning of relief. He gave up one hit and walked one, but held Strathmore without a run.

Emery (S1) came on and pitched one inning to collect the save. He set the side on strikes on 15 pitches.

Genthner said, “We didn’t play as well as I would have liked. Kevin Little did a good job pitching and collecting a big hit to give us the 2-0 lead. Kyler Emery swung the bat very well, drove in the go-ahead run and struck out the side in the last inning to get the save.”

In their final pool play game, the Broncs lost a tough one to Fresno Christian 4-3.

The Eagles opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second. The Broncs came back and tied it with a run of their own in the top of the third. Emery’s triple knocked in Kennedy who reached on a two-out walk.

The Eagles bounced back and scored three times in the bottom of the inning to take the 4-1 lead.

Kern Valley came close as they scored twice in the fifth to make it 4-3. They had the tying run at second, but a fly out ended the threat.

In the sixth, the Broncs had the tying run reach base, but after a strike out was erased on a pitcher’s best friend, the 6-4-3 double play.

Emery and LaFarga each had two hits to lead Kern Valley on offense. Emery had two RBIs.Lawson delivered one run with a single, while Pappas, C. Mixon and Josh Powell each had one hit.

Emery (0-1) was tagged with the loss on the hill. He pitched four innings allowing four runs, only three earned, on four hits. He struck out five and walked three.

LaFarga pitched two innings of relief giving up no runs on two hits. He walked one and struck out one.

Genthner said, “It was a well played game against a good team. Our defense was good, both pitchers did a good job and we swung the bats a little better than the first two games. I saw improvement over the first three games of the tournament and we’re looking forward to the rest of it this weekend.”

The Broncs will either play on Friday or Saturday in a single elimination bracket. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 3 p.m. in Farmersville.