NOTABLE

Tim Collins, the new Pierce College baseball coach, has hired Pat Rubino and Al Davidson as assistant coaches.

Rubino played baseball for San Diego State and the Pittsburgh Pirates. He will coach the pitchers and catchers. Davidson, who played at Cal State Northridge, will handle the outfielders.

Meanwhile, Bob O’Connor, Pierce athletic director, announced that 12 recruits had verbally committed their intentions to play baseball at Pierce next year.

They are: John Hauptman, first baseman, Grant High; Dan Cory, pitcher, L.A. Baptist; Paul Plyler, pitcher/first baseman, Kennedy; Greg Synnott, infielder, Kennedy; Sandy Sreden, pitcher, Kennedy; Randy Sreden, catcher, Kennedy; Leo Clouser, pitcher, Granada Hills; Mark Bowen, outfielder, Cleveland; Bill Thunnel, third baseman, Cleveland; Rob Campbell, outfielder, Chatsworth; Brad Winowich, catcher, Reseda, and Fred Riscen, pitcher, Granada Hills and Cal State Northridge.

The Cal State Northridge baseball team finished eighth in the nation in fielding percentage with a .960 average, according to the NCAA. The Matadors commited just 93 errors in 2,342 chances. . . . All-American outfielder Mark Ban ranked 14th in the nation among Division II home run hitters. His 19 home runs in 61 games averaged 0.31 per game.

Cal Lutheran College’s Bob Ginther has been named an NAIA All-American honorable mention. Ginther, a 5-8, 158-pound designated hitter, had a .406 batting average and was the team leader in hits (54), doubles (13) and triples (3). The former Thousand Oaks High player was second on the team in home runs with eight.

National Hot Rod Assn. point leader Kenny Bernstein of Dallas, Tex., edged out top-qualifier Dale Pulde of Granada Hills to win Sunday’s NHRA Mile-High Nationals in Denver, Colo. It was Bernstein’s fifth NHRA win of the season.

In the finals Pulde, at 250.69 m.p.h., developed a faster top speed than Bernstein’s 245.90. However, Bernstein crossed the finish line first.

On his way to the finals, Bernstein beat Tim Grose of Saugus in the first round. Grose had qualified 10th with an elapsed time of 6.05 at 225.00 m.p.h. In the third round, Bernstein defeated Don Prudhomme of Granada Hills with a time of 5.776. Prudhomme clocked a 6.003.

Prudhomme defeated John Lombardo of Newhall in the first round. Lombardo qualified 12th with an elapsed time of 6.101 at 241.93 m.p.h.

The Wild Bunch, an American Youth Soccer Organization team coached by Buz Brockway and Rob Beaumaster, placed second at the annual Rainbow Soccer Tournament in Hawaii. The Granada Hills-based team of boys aged 12 and younger featured Rick Ambrouso, Cody Beaumaster, Kelly Brockway, Darrick Cole, Terry Degani, Flann Fleischer, Chris Gervais, Matt Greenfield, Athesis Harris, Eric Lopez, Scott Nunez, Todd Olson, Doug Smith, Jeremy Suetos, Dana Sustin, and Peter Wiese.

West Hills (Woodland Hills) won the North Valley Youth Baseball Assn.’s 13-year old all-star tournament by defeating Sylmar, 8-0, Sunday in Granada Hills. Chris Castillo, pitching his first tournament game, shut out Sylmar for the win. Pat Treend added a three-run home run. Pitcher Paul Geller won three games for West Hills and set a tournament record with 22 assists at shortstop in the games he didn’t pitch. West Hills won the Blue Division and Sylmar won the Red Division. The teams split a doubleheader Saturday, with West Hills winning the opener, 10-0, and falling in the second game, 8-5, to force a final game Sunday.