A.J. Puk looked like an all-state pitcher for three innings against Cedar Rapids Kennedy Thursday night.

He struck out seven of the first nine batters he faced with a rising fastball and sharp curve, leaving the fifth-ranked Cougars swinging at air.

Sykes, Christensen, Yancey, Bell, Jacobus, Ambrosy and Benson all went down swinging in the first three innings as Puk fanned some good hitters in the Kennedy lineup.

The 6-foot-4 lefthander appeared in complete control for Cedar Rapids Washington. It was nine up, nine down.

"He's very smooth," said Kennedy senior Austin Christensen, who was strikeout victim No.2. "His fastball might not be the fastest, but it really gets on top of you. A lot of our guys were a little late on the fastball tonight. It jumps out of his hand."

Puk had it, then lost it.

Kennedy raked Puk for seven runs in the fourth inning and posted an 11-3 victory over the Warriors in a Mississippi Valley Conference game at Kennedy.

Puk was extra-special for three innings.

"He came out ready to play and he showed why he's one of the best pitchers in the state, especially considering he's only a sophomore," Washington Coach Brent Henry said. "He's going to be fun to watch for a couple of more years."

Puk walked Terrell Sykes to start the fourth. Then came the deluge. Christensen ripped a double, Griffin Michael singled to drive in two runs, David Yancey roped an RBI double, Cody Bell socked an RBI double, Matt Maiers reached on an error and Devon Jacobus crushed a three-run homer to right-center.

That gave Kennedy (19-4, 12-1) a 7-1 lead.

"I left a couple of pitches over the plate and they put the ball in play and things happened for them," Puk said.

The game began as a battle of quality lefthanders with Puk facing Christensen. The Warriors (8-13, 3-10) scored a run against the Kennedy ace in the third inning for a 1-0 lead, but they had a runner picked off second base with two outs to end the threat with runners at second and third.

Kennedy Coach Bret Hoyer, plagued by two rainouts this week, lifted Christensen after three innings and gave the ball to Michael, wanting to give both pitchers a workout. The Warriors got two hits against Michael in the fourth, but lost another runner on the bases to cost them a possible run.

Washington took a 1-0 lead into the bottom of the fourth inning, but it could have been 2-0 or 3-0 if not for the baserunning mistakes. Kennedy seized control with its seven-run outburst in the bottom of the fourth, starting with the pivotal leadoff walk to Sykes.

"If we clean things up on the basepaths and we have a three-nothing game instead of a one-nothing game, all of a sudden that walk doesn't mean quite so much," said Henry.

Hoyer was impressed with Puk.

"I thought he was really good," Hoyer said. "I thought he located real well, he changed speeds real well and he made it real tough on our guys.

"I just felt he lost his command, he couldn't locate as well (in the fourth inning). We have some pretty good hitters and they took advantage of it."

Puk has an 0-3 record this season, but he's struck out 29 batters in 14 1/3 innings (according to the IHSAA website). Control has been a problem, with 17 walks on his ledger. He's hitting about .400.

Puk was clocked at 86 mph at the Perfect Game Junior National Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla., June 14-15 and also hit the ball well in Florida, generating interest from some top college programs.

"The Florida Gators, the Miami Hurricanes, Georgetown, and I got something from Central Florida," he said. "I played pretty well down there."

Yancey and Bell belted back-to-back homers in the fifth inning to give Kennedy a 9-1 lead. Christensen went 1-for-3 with a walk and is hitting .625 (40 for 64).

Sam Kacena went 3-for-3 for Washington with two doubles and an RBI.

Kennedy and Washington will finish their two-game series at Washington Friday night.

WASHINGTON (3)
Brown, lf, 4 0 1 0, N. Dostal, 3b/2b, 3 0 0 0, White, ss, 3 1 1 0, Puk, p/1b, 3 0 0 0, Kacena, c, 3 0 3 1, Burdt, cr, 0 0 0 0, Rhatigan, dh/3b, 3 0 1 0, G. Dostal, 1b, 0 0 0 0, Zingula, 2b/p, 3 1 0 0, Hogg, rf, 1 0 0 0, Barton, ph, 1 0 0 0, Troendle, cf, 3 1 1 1. Totals 27 3 7 2.

KENNEDY (11)
Sykes, 2b, 2 1 0 0, Christensen, p/rf, 3 1 1 0, Michael, ss/p, 4 0 1 2, Hayden, cr, 0 1 0 0, Yancey, lf/p, 4 2 2 2, Hayden, cf, 0 0 0 0, Bell, 1b, 3 2 2 2, Maiers, c, 3 1 0 0, Lizarraga, c, 0 0 0 0, Jacobus, 3b/ss, 3 1 1 3, Ambrosy, rf/1b/lf, 3 1 2 0, Benson, dh, 3 1 1 0, Lloyd, cf/lf, 0 0 0 0. Totals 28 11 10 9.

Washington    001 001 1 - 3 7 4
Kennedy        000 722 x - 11 10 1

Puk, Zingula (4) and Kacena. Christensen, Michael (4), Yancey (7) and Maiers, Lizarraga (7). W - Michael. L - Puk. 2B - White, Kacena 2, Christensen, Yancey, Bell. HR - Yancey, Bell, Jacobus.