Kyzar Battles Illness To Lead Santaluces to Victory Against Forest Hill

Hunter Kyzer takes his sign

One of the most exciting features about a high school season is how fast and active it can be. It is two to three months of fierce rivalries and competition.

However, the brevity of a season can be affected by the smallest of things. A simple injury or an illness can take a player out of his game for a fraction of a season.

Santaluces senior pitcher Hunter Kyzar was faced with that unfortunate predicament, as he hampered with a high fever all week before his start against Forest Hill in a District 7A-13 matchup.

“He had a 102 fever the other day, had to stay out of practice, but he still wanted the ball because he knew how important this game was,” Santaluces coach Nick Franco said.

The left-hander did not let the high fever impede him from turning in a solid performance as the Chiefs won 6-5 on Friday.

“I had to go out there and do my thing,” Kyzar said. “I had to battle through my fever so my team could win.”

Kyzar did just that has he hurled five innings, allowing two earned runs and two hits, en route to the win.

The game started fast, as both teams found a way to get on track early. In the top of the first, Ernie Cabrera and Zach Saldivar walked and scored on a clutch single by Kyzar. Facing a two-run deficit, the Falcons tied it with a clutch hit of their own. Mike Murray’s hard ground ball up the middle brought in Jose Crespo and Brayan Ofarrill.

Santaluces’ Cody Wager laced a fastball up the middle to give his team a 3-2 lead in the top of the fourth. The Chiefs added one more on fielder’s choice by Ernie Cabrillo.

In the next frame, the Chiefs took advantage of some spotty pitching to score two runs via the walk. The Falcons’ pitcher’s ineffectiveness around the plate extended the lead to 6-2, but it was a keen eye by the Chiefs that helped with the walks.

“We had a lot of confidence at the plate, and we took advantage of them giving us free bases,” Franco said.

Forest Hill was undaunted, and in the bottom of the fifth, the Chiefs allowed the Falcons to get within one on walks and a crucial error in the field. Juan Garces’ RBI single made it a one-run game with two outs, but Kyzar got out of the jam inducing a line out.

With a one-run game, Franco handed the ball to Doug Wright, who struck out the side in the sixth. However in the seventh, he ran into to trouble, but two great plays by Kyzar and Wager allowed for the Chiefs to win.

“Our kids never give up,” Forest Hill coach Russ Milliken said. “We go after it and after it. We love that here, but if we execute, this game may have turned out different.”

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