The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 22

Spirit blitzed by Bakersfield I Ja trf." yMAACSTEM Sun Sports Writer GINA FERAZZlThe Sun Maui right fielder Joey Kan-Hal makes a diving catch in the fourth inning of Friday's victory over Washington in the semifinals of the Little League Western Regional. Northern California pulls away, beats Arizona 9-3 to reach final: By CHUCK HICKEY Sun Sports Writer BAKERSFIELD There were no easy outs here Friday night, except, of course, for the home manager, who was ejected in the third inning when a soon-to-be rout was still close. After that, the Bakersfield Dodgers hit everything, generating a gradual assault that Tommy Beyers, confined to the clubhouse, was forced to miss. The Spirit had no way to avoid it. Bakersfield with home runs from Ron Maurer and Mike Piazza, a five-run Inning and the typical pitching excellence of Mark Mimbs eased past San Bernardino, 8-0, in front of 1,322 at Sam Lynn Ball Park.

In these surroundings, losses are familiar for the Spirit (20-36), whose record in Bakersfield fell to 1-6. For that reason, this might prove the Dodgers' weekend to challenge High Desert for the Southern Division lead. In extending its current winning streak to five, Bakersfield (33-23) the first-half champion remained 1 V4 games behind the Mavericks. "It's not like we have to look at them all the time and see if they're winning or losing," Maurer said. With pitchers like Mimbs and the ability to score, the Dodgers don't appear concerned about anything the Mavericks do.

Maurer gave Bakersfield a 2-0 lead in the fourth with his fifth homer, off Spirit starter Jeff Darwin. It was one of the few ill-placed pitches Darwin made in six-plus innings during which he resembled the right-hander whose 12 strikeouts In 6 innings were enough to beat Bakersfield in April. That was four months ago. In between, Darwin mite ft eight weeks with shoulder problems, and the ruttinees hasn't left him. "This the best I've felt since I came back." Darwin said.

"I just made three or four mistakes." Said Maurer "It was a good pitch, the fastball he threw me. I just got hicky." Piazza added to the lead In the sixth with his 24th homer, a solo shot off Darwin giving Piazza more in one season than any Dodger since 1967, when Joe Lis hit 33. In the seventh, Darwin allowed a leadoff double to Billy Lott, then walked Ed Lund. When Spirit reliever Troy Kent hit two of the next three hitters, the Dodgers were in the midst of a five-run inning. "He kept us in the game," Spirit pitching coach Chuck Kniffin said of Darwin.

"It was just another situation that we didn't score any runs." Mimbs (11-6) scattered eight hits over seven innings, and did not allow a Spirit base runner past second. Spirit manager Teaaja JmlH will join pitchers Mm Cummtngt and Ml Dot In Tamp, In September for the Seattle Mariner' Instructional league. In addition to working with outfielders Hi the organization, Jones, who live in nearby Phoenix, will serve at a "resource person" tor Carte Isiosao, a coach at 8lngle-A Peninsula whom me Mariners srs grooming to be a manager. Ml QKIewss (1-4) starts tonight at 7:30 against Bakersfield, with Ml Meeir 43-3) throwing Sunday and tea dees (2-3), the only lefthander In the Spirit rotation, starting in Monday's serlee finale Sunday's game here will be at 7:30 p.m., not 1:06 as listed In the Spirit schedule. Mavericks rally for 2-1 win over Ports Western Regional note In the fifth-placs semifinals on Friday, Idaho (West Kootenai LL, Post Falls) knocked of Alaska (Abbott-O-flabblt LL, Anchorage), 2-1 In seven Innings; snd Utah (Taylorsvllle LL, Salt Lake City) eliminated Nevada (Qreen Valley LL, Henderson), 11-.

In ths first game, th tsams were scorslsss after six Innings. Idaho won on a two-run error In the bottom ot the ssvsnth. In th second game, Utah scored nine runs In ths second Inning and held on for th victory. Nevada scored five in the sixth to make it interesting Washington will play Arizona (or third place today at 4:30 p.m. Idaho and Utah will play for filth place at 0 a.m The five extra-Innings games at the regional this year are a single-tournament record.

This Is NoCal's first championship-gam appearance since 1987 and Hawaii'a first since 1989 Hswali haa won three regional championships. NoCal haa seven, which Is a record. Hswali and NoCal have played each other for ths championship four times with each winning twice. The last time they met was in 1978, with San Ramon Valley (thie year'a NoCal champ) winning it. Friday'a attendance of 6,000 fans brought the six-day total to 30.500, down 6.300 (17 percent) Irom the same time last year.

Williamsport," said NoCal manager Troy Ward. "I think we have a helluva shot at it, as much as Hawaii does." NoCal capitalized on four Arizona errors. It managed had seven hits after scorching 14 against Alaska in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Arizona left 10 runners on base. "That's the name of the game," said Arizona manager Fred Leon.

"You leave 10 runners on base, you're lucky to get one run. We just didn't get the hits at the right time." Arizona tied the game 2-2 in the third inning thanks to a two-run single by third baseman Sergio Mendoza. But NoCal scored the next four runs to pull away. Kevin Graham led off the NoCal fourth with a home run to center field. Later in the inning, shortstop Nate Hudson scored from second base on an Arizona error.

SAN BERNARDINO The much-anticipated semifinal meeting between Northern California and Arizona was worth the wait. For only three innings, though. San Ramon Valley Little League of Danville, the NoCal champions, advanced to tonight's Little League Western Regional championship game by knocking off Sunnyside LL of Tucson, 9-3, in front of about 6,000 fans at Al Houghton Stadium. In the title game, NoCal will face East Maui LL of Kahului, Hawaii, which beat South Everett LL of Everett, 4-0, in the other semifinal Friday. Tonight's winner earns a berth in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

The game begins at 8 p.m., with a crowd of 9,000 expected. "Since we began this thing, that's been our mission, to reach AUG. 18th 10A.M.- 5 P.M. HOLIDAY INN ONTARIO 1801 East St. '(10 Ftvy.

Vineyard Exil) Racing action at OSS tonight C2 The Sun SATURDAY, August 17, 1991 KALEIDOSCOPE Mattingly, and his hair, back in lineup Don Mattingly didn't need to visit the Yankee Clipper, after all. The shear madness in the Bronx ended Friday when Mattingly and Yankees management agreed (at least publicly) that the length of his locks wasn't such a big deal. A day after he was benched and fined $250 because his hair hung at the back of his collar, Mattingly was back in the starting lineup against the Chicago White Sox. He got a big cheer in his first at-bat, then struck out looking. The Yankees said Mattingly would not be fined, after all.

Manager Stump Merrill and GM Gene Michael admitted they'd overreacted. Mattingly said he'd probably get a trim soon, anyway. "I think it's all pretty silly," Mattingly said. "I was pretty much embarrassed by the whole thing. If they'd asked me to get a haircut in a day or so, I probably would've done it But I felt backed into a corner." The razor's edge AM, Mattingly: Typically this is New York, after all the story has mushroomed just slightly out of proportion.

A picture portraying how Mattingly might look if he was bald appeared in one of the tab laid newspapers. There also was a picture of Michael, who wore his hair long when he played tot the Yankees in the mid-1970s. And TV announcer Phil Rizxuto showed up at fltf statflttn wearing a bald wig. When he went Ori the air, he was wearing a barber's tiftotk and took out pair Of scissors for a play-At snip at colleague Ton Seaver's hair. Setting! new standard Reds pitcher Jom Rtyo, putting the defending World Series champions' record in a new light: "The way we've been ptaylnf li I've reached the highest level of emberrassivity.

Mercy has its tiraks Tennis pro Goran Ivanisevic, asked if he felt any sadness after thrashing his idol, John McEnroe, 6-4, 6-2 on Friday: "It's not sad. He lost against me." You always hurt the one you love Texas Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro says he and ex-Mississippi State teammate Will Clark are friends, but you'd never know it. "He's real arrogant, real cocky," Palmeiro said. "When I'm talking with Clark, I feel like there's this guy who thinks he's God in front of me." SPORTS IN BRIEF Weather continues to delay golf play CASTLE ROCK, Colo. Ian Baker-Finch appears all but certain of reaching the final round of The International if the weather allows the final round to be reached.

For the second time in as many days, a series of thunderstorms Friday caused an overnight delay in play. Seventy-two men including PGA champion John Daly still were on the course when darkness fell on the Castle Pines Golf Club and extended second-round play into Saturday. They were scheduled to return at 7 a.m. to complete the second round complete with the probable playoff for the final few qualifying spots before third-round play later in the day. Ex-Ram gets jail term LAGUNA NIGUEL Former Los Angeles Rams offensive lineman Doug France was sentenced to a year in jail after pleading guilty to vehicular manslaughter in the death of a neighbor.

South Orange County Municipal Court Judge Pamela lies also sentenced France, who played for the Rams from 1975 to 1981, to five years probation and ordered him to perform 400 hours of community service and attend weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings after his release. Kulwicki qualifies for pole BROOKLYN, Mich. Alan Kulwicki, the first man on the track Friday, ran a qualifying lap none of the other 40 drivers could top to earn the pole position for Sunday's Champion 400. Kulwicki, whose 17th career pole and third of the year tied him with Mark Martin for the most Winston Cup poles this season, turned a lap of 173.431 mph on the 2-mile, high-banked Michigan International Speedway oval. Barkley wins decision LAS VEGAS Former WBC middleweight champion Iran Barkley, fighting as a light heavyweight for the first time, survived an eighth-round knockdown and won a decision over Mexico's Juan Hernandez in their 10-round main event.

Rodriguez takes lead KENMORE, Wash. Chi Chi Rodriguez, the leading money-winner on the Senior PGA Tour, shot a 9-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead in the GTE Northwest Classic. Rodriguez was two shots ahead of 60-year-old Jim Ferree, who eagled the first and last holes in a round of 65. BRIEFLY NOTED: PGA Champion Jeha Daly has signed a multiyear contract to endorse Reebok's Golf line of footwear and apparel, company officials announced Friday. Dick La-Hale and Warren Johnson led the rain-shortened first day of qualifying for the NHRA NorthStar Nationals USC assistant athletic director Marvin Cobb, who has complained publicly about the school's treatment of black athletes, is transferring out of the athletic department, USC officials said.

Promoter Dm Kiag filed a lawsuit against Greg Haagea after the boxer pulled out of a title fight against WBC taper lightweight champion Jalie Cesar Chaves. The suit, filed in federal court, asks for damages of more than $1 million. A Forth Worth, Texas, judge decided not to delay the palimony trial between tennis star Martina Navratileva and her former companion, Jae Nelsea. The trial will be next month. FronSuY News Services mill I 50 DEALERS LOADED rtESwtel WITH CARDS! LCTflVWBKTl DOOR PRIZES I "5a EVERY 30 MINUTES! INSTANT REPLAY (714) 625-5942 (714) 622-1114 The Sun The Sun to compete in the Bomber race are Dean Huss Greg Beres-ford and Ron Peterson.

In the train races, teams of three cars chained together race around the figure-8 track. The gates open at 5 p.m. and the racing action begins at 7 p.m. The cost is $8 for adults, $3 for children 5-11. Admission for military personnel and the handicapped is $6.

SAN BERNARDINO There will be some extra racing action at the Orange Show Speedway tonight. Fans will be treated to the annual Bomber Summer Championship, Giant Destruction Derby, train races and jet cars. Among the drivers scheduled BLOOD DONORS NEEDED EVERYDAY Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside Counties A public service message from The Sun. ecard Pools paS GAZEBO PACKAGE Buy factory direct and save many, many dollars Your exclusive factory distributor sari ii ni GREAT SAVINGS ON POOLS ROUND 18x48" 20 mil. Liner 499.98 ROUND 24x48" 6'TopRail 20 mil.

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Matt Witkowski reached on a fielder's choice, then Sanchez and Witkowski executed a double steal With runners at second and third, Verstandig delivered his game-winning hit That made a winner out of High Desert starter Rusty Silcox, who pitched seven innings, allowing one run, four hits, one walk and striking out seven. Scott Fredrickson pitched the last two innings to earn a save. Stockton's only run came in the sixth inning, on doubles by Dwayne Hosey and Tim Clark. Police officers place well in powerlifting The Sun OAKLAND Four local police officers competed in the Silver Anniversary California Police Powerlifting Summer Games held in Oakland Tuesday and Wednesday. Charles DeSadier of the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department won the gold medal in the super-heavyweight class with lifts of 793 pounds in the squat, 479 in the bench press and 799 in the deadlift for a total of 2,071.

Paul Amicone of the Rialto Police Department took the bronze medal in the same class. He lifted 440 squat, 402 bench and 402 deadlift to total 1,244. Anthony Viola of the Sheriff's Department won the 198-pound class in the Masters Division with lifts of 575 squat, 325 bench and 523 deadlift to total 1,423. Dave Taylor of the Riverside Sheriff's Department won the 198-pound class in the open division with lifts of 451 squat, 380 bench and 518 deadlift to total 1,349. Indians ousted from NBC tournament The Sun WICHITA, Kan.

A team from Maitland, defeated the San Bernardino Indians, 15-11, in the National Baseball Congress World Series late Thursday night. Maitland scored five runs in the top of the ninth to oust San Bernardino from the tournament. Pitcher Don Smith hit Willie Daunlc with the bases loaded and also walked Bill Magee to force in a run, Sid Cash hit a three-run homer for Maitland In the fifth inning. The winning pitcher was John Pricker, who threw the last 3'. innings.

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