Valley Dodgers to Open Season in Santa Maria

The San Fernando Valley Dodgers will open their third season of National Baseball Congress play Friday with a five-game series against the Santa Maria Indians in Santa Maria.

The Dodgers, who finished 11th at the NBC World Series last summer in Wichita, Kan., compiled a 31-9 record and were champions of the Golden State League.

The Dodgers are managed by Mark Morton, an assistant at Cal State Northridge who played at Northridge and in the San Francisco Giants organization.

The team’s roster comprises primarily Valley-area college players.

Catcher Mike Bible of College of the Canyons, shortstop Rod Stillwell of Arkansas and Thousand Oaks High, and former Chapman College second baseman Mike Cruz are returning all-league players for the Dodgers, who play their home games at Cal State Northridge.

The Dodgers’ first home game is at 5 p.m. Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox Rookies.