The Bakersfield Californian from Bakersfield, California • Page 19

Dealt with Murcer for Cubs' Madlock Steve Ontiveros happy with trade By LARRY PRESS Sports Editor Steve Onttveros. who saw very little action for the Giants last season, didn't turn cartwheels at the news hut expressed satisfaction with yesterday's trade which sent him to the Chicago Cuhs. In one of the biggest deals of the hot stove season, the (iiants sent Ontiveros. outfielder Bobby Murcer and minor league pitcher Andy Muhlstock to the Cubs for twotime National League batting champion Bill Madlock and utility infielder Rob Sperring. The Cubs traded Madlock after he demanded a multi-year contract involving an annual salarv of some $200.000.

Ontiveros, staying at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank tiveros. said he learned of the trade when the Giants called him about 130 yesterday afternoon. "1 really didn't get too much reaction at first," said the switch-hitting infieldcr-outflelder from Bakcrsfield High School.

"The news didn't have that much of an imcact on me. "But know it's a break for me, and I'm looking forward to getting a chance to play regularly in Chicago." Ontiveros, with three big league seasons behind him. said that his career had reached a virtual dead end at Candlestick Park, as the club had apparently lost confidence in him. He started only a handful of games last year, and all told appeared in 59 games, batting .176. Ontiveros.

a line drive hitter, first came up to the Giants as a red-hot prospect who had ravaged enemy STEVE ONTIVEROS pitching in the Pacific Coast League However, he says that he hit a slump early in his career and thereafter felt that he was always playing second fiddle, 'that they would put me in only when somebody else wasn't doing ihe job." Ontiveros looks at the hade positively from just about every aspect "I'm happy to be going to the Cubs." he told The Californian "I know there's a few positions open there, and I can play first or third I just came back from a good season of winter ball In Mexico I hit played third all the time and felt good there "I'm glad to get away from Candlestick as far as playing conditions go And I've Rot to like playing during the day in Chicago "I've always hit better during the day than at night Asked to assess the trade, the articulate 25-year-old Ontiveros said iwith- CSB overcomes Kerl, Cal Poly in overtime SAN LUIS OBISPO Cal Polys Kerl. former West High and Bakcrsfield College star who scored six points In the final 1:10 to defeat Cal State Bakcrsfield at Civic Auditorium one week ago. tried it again last night In the Mustang gym. but the Roadrunners survived the onslaught. Coach Pat Wennihan's troops, solidly implanted in the CCAA cellar going into the game, outscored league-leading Cal Poly.

6-5, in overtime to avenge the earlier loss. The victory, which hikes CSB's conference mark to 2-4. didn't get them out of the cellar, but it's not so lonesome there now. The Runners share that spot with PC Riverside The Mustangs, who could have gone two games ahead with a win last night, had to be content with a one-game lead over Cal Poly-Pomona and Cal State LA. which are tied for second with 3-3 records Kerl, the leading scorer in last night's contest with 22, figured in the game's key play which sent the contest into overtime with the Roadrunners outlasting the host five for a one-point victory.

The big play came in the final 41 Roadrunners host S. Francisco State Cal Stale llnkcrsficlri's Roadrunners' return to the Civic Auditorium toniitht. meeting San Francisco State in a non-league game starting at o'clock. The 'Runners will he looking to uo over Ihe .51111 mark alter their record at 11-11 al San Luis Obispo last seconds when Kerl. his team leading 70-68.

tried to drive on the basket against defenders Vance Waldberg and Steve Lance. The ball was deflected and the Runners recovered. Take SYL meet BHS matmen once again find a way By PHIL KLL Stall Writer The hoarseness in the voice of Steve Varner was indicative of the kind of year it has been for the first- year Bakersfield High varsity wrestling coach in a triumphant return to his alma mater. The Perils of Pauline had nothing on the Driller mat team this year. BHS pulling out three wins in the last bout during the dual season, then winning the South Yosemite League meet last night in the foothill gym on the strength of a referee's decision, two one-point wins and a two-point verdict.

"We figured it was going to take five champions to win it, and that's about the way it turned out," gasped the young mentor, barely audible after a season of yelling encouragement to his wrestlers. Actually Bakersfield needed only four champions to edge defending SYL titlist Highland because the Scots were on the other end of that referee's sion and lost a pair of one-point verdicts. Bakersfield scored 135'a points to 127 for Highland and for Foothill in a three-team duel. The Drillers, with 12 points earned during a 6-0 dual season, only needed a second-place finish in the league meet to clinch the overall crown since Highland and Foothill only managed eight points in duals with their 4-2 records. But Varner and his crew had no thoughts of winning it that way.

"The league championship is a goal this team has worked for the last four years and they didn't want to settle for second place in the league meet." Despite the Drillers' undefeated performance in league, Varner said the year hadn't been a bowl of cherries. "We has some injuries, people we were expecting to come out did- see Driller 22 With 12 seconds to play. Warren Jackson. CSB's second leading scorer with 16 on the night, tried a 12-foot jumper from the side. The hall caromed off the rim and Lance gathered it in.

then tipped it in to tie it at 70-all The Mustangs, trying to pull out the victory in the final seconds, went to the bucket in the last five seconds with a 30-footer by Bob Nicholson, but the ball rebounded into the hands of Lance to send the contest into overtime. The Mustangs went one up In the see (SB 22 BC cagers manhandle El Cam in By TRACY RALLS EL CAMINO The Bakersfield College Renegades, who have dropped a pair of one-point decisions on the road since the midway point in the Metropolitan Conference basketball race, finally shook the away-from- home jinx by handing the El Camino Warriors a 58-51 setback here last night. The low-scoring win pushes coach Ralph Krafve's troop's Metro mark to 8-2. good enough to hold the top rung on the conference ladder with four games to go. And the Renegades should have the advantage from here on in.

if home court edge means anything. Three of the Gades final loop games are at home. Their only remaining road game is two weeks away against LA Valley. The big story in last night's win was the head-and-head matchup between Renegade ace Todd Ward and El Camino's 6-7 center Bret Beaver. Beaver, who has been averaging in the neighborhood of 25 points a game, was held to 17 last night as the Renegade defensive corps came up with one of its better performances of the season.

Only one other Warrior was in double figures. That was Fred Williams who hit for 10 in the loss. Ward was the Renegades' leading see BC 22 out sounding cocky), "I think the Cuhs probably got a little more than they gave up In the deal." Although a professional of eight seasons' standing, Ontiveros still regards baseball as an enjoyable game rather than just a livelihood. "There was a period in the middle of last season when I felt I had lost a little of my love for the game. There were a lot of things about my career up In the air.

But I'm sorry to see it end. I came down to Bakersfield. thought things out and got everything in the right prospective I went to Mexico with a good attitude and am really looking forward now to next season Financially. Ontiveros feels the Giants always treated him fairly "They were always good to me as far as monev went." He has not signed for 1977. The 180- pound six-footer used to negotiate his own contracts but following the trend, now has an agent, Gary Walker.

Madlock, who won his second straight National League batting title on the final day of the season last year, batted 339 for the in 142 games. He hit 15 home runs and had 84 runs batted in Madlock reportedly earned $85,000 last season with the Cubs and when he insisted on a multiyear contract with a salary in line with what some of the free agents were receiving, Cubs owner P.K. Wrigley announced that Madlock would be traded "to anyone foolish enough to want him Murcer. who once played for the New York Yankees, was the key man to join the Cubs Murcer hatted .259 wiih the Giants last season with 23 home runs and 90 runs batted in. Uhr iBaktrsfirlJl (Caltfarnian Saturday Morning Feb.

12,1977 Page 19 Ricky Nichols of Bakersfield College, right, keeps his eyes riveted straight ahead as he crosses the finish line to win the 100 meter dash during yesterday's opening dual meet with Mt. San Antonio at Memorial Stadium. The freshman from East clocked 11.0. Clive Innerarity of BC, in center, placed second with Tryon Owens of Mt. SAC, far left, third.

(Californian Photo) Win 44th straight BC spikes come on tough The junior colleges have converted to meters this year, but nothing has changed as far as the Bakersfield College track team is concerned. Bob Covey's Renegades, getting come-through performances from Chris DeFrance, Robby Bray. David Henderson and Walter Pratt. ran their dual streak to 44 wins in a row vester- By PHIL KLl'SMAN Stall Writer day on a perfect Febraury track day. whipping Mt San Antonio.

84-61 in the opening 1977 meet at Memorial Stadium. The Mounties had expected to mount a stiff challenge to BC The visitors, like the '(Jades, are a perennial track power, and even beat Bakersfield two years ago before it was dis- Jockey Club honors Roadrunners' Rucker Sharpshooting forward Mylow Rucker of Cal State Bakersfield has been named college athlete-of-the- month by the Bakersfield Jockey Club. The 6-6 senior from Hayward, accompanied by his coach, Pat Wenni- han, will receive his plaque at next Monday's noon luncheon meeting of the club at Hodel's on Olive Drive. Rucker transferred here as a junior after starring at Chabot JC but, hobbled by injuries, was a substitute on the team which won the conference and advanced to the NCAA regional. But in good health this season, the slender, fluid 22-year-old is on his way to one of the most productive seasons any CSB eager has ever enjoyed.

Going into this weekend's games, he was the leading scorer among CCAA players with an 18.4 average, TANK IVAMAKA and needs to average only 14 a game to set a new school seasonal scoring point mark Not oniv that, but he is hitting the hoop at a 53.5 mark, one percentage point higher than the record set by Joe Hord last season. In league play. Mylow has done even better than that, hitting over 63 per cent He also is the Roadrunners! leading rebounder for the season by a narrow margin over his teammate, buddy and roomate. Warren Jackson. Wennihan is not surprised at Rucker's accuracy from the field, pointing out that Myiow hit 54 per cent of his shots in junior college.

Rucker is not afraid to get inside and mix it up for a rebound or a tip attempt but his favorite play is to pull up on the fast break and. with his soft see 22 covered that one ot their key performers was ineligible But DeFrance. Bray. Henderson and Pratt made sure there wouldn't be any surprises this time. DeFrance, the sophomore from Corcoran and defending state triple jump champion, had a hand in four wins Bray upset Mt SAC distance aces in both the 1.500 and 5.000 meter runs.

Henderson relegated two outstanding Mountie high jumpers to second and third, and Pratt ran two excellent hurdle races. i was very pleased." said Covey of the overall effort "We had some very good team performances and it is hard to single out anybody." DeFrance, who won the state meet in the same Memorial Stadium pit last year at 51 -4, showed he was ready for banner season by getting off a leap of 50 -ll i The lanky sophomore also took the long jump with a lifetime best of 24-4 1 a. won his first-ever try at the 200 meters in 21.8 and ran third leg on Bakersfield's mile-relay team. "Robby Bray had the greatest meet of his life." said Covey. "He has work- see HI' 22 BC track gals in historic win; story, page 21 11 by Jeff Millar Bill Hinds Foothill's Glen McCullouch is quite sure his arms weren't built to bend the way Highland's Aaron Duckworth is bending them, and he lets out a groan let the referee know about it during last night's South Yosemite League 130-pound wrestling finals at Foothill.

Duckworth went on to score a 2-1 victory while Bakersfield High grabbed the team championship. Officer, I pCG, OUR PUTY CAN'T THAW TO ALL TME --M0 MATTfl? MOW i.