Eldridge Plays Like a Winner Despite Loss : Valley All-Stars Fall in California Games

If Brian Eldridge continues to play like he did Thursday at San Diego State’s Smith Field, he might end up with a college baseball scholarship after all.

Eldridge, who graduated from Monroe High in June, went 2 for 2, drove in a run and scored once in a first-round game of the California State Games, a first-year event that has drawn 3,000 athletes for competition in 13 sports.

His performance was one of the few bright spots as a team of all-stars dominated by Valley-area players fell, 7-6, to the Los Angeles entry.

“Defensively, we were pretty shabby,” Eldridge said. “Hopefully, we’ve put that behind us.”

Eldridge, a shortstop at Monroe, played second base and made one of five errors committed by the Valley team. Otherwise, he turned in an excellent effort--one that might make the many college coaches attending this four-day tournament take note.

“That would be nice,” Eldridge said.

Despite batting .480 as a senior and helping lead Monroe to the City Sectin 3-A Division title, Eldridge did not receive any scholarship offers, so he will take his talents and walk on at Arizona. The Wildcats were 33-26 and finished last in the Pacific 10 Conference Southern Division last season.

“I wanted to get away and go to an out-of-state school,” Eldridge said. “Their baseball program didn’t do too well. I think I can help out. I think I can walk on and do a good job and earn a scholarship.”

Jerry Kindall, the Arizona coach, was in attendance Thursday and liked what he saw of Eldridge.

“He’s a good heads-up player,” Kindall said. “That’s what I like about him. He has good, quick feet. His arm is good for second base, adequate for shortstop. We’ll look at him in the fall and give him a good chance.

“My policy is that those who walk on and play a significant role with the varsity will get a scholarship the next year.”

The team of Valley stars, playing as the Brewers and representing the 818 and 805 telephone area codes, dug a hole for itself quickly.

Two errors in the first inning helped Los Angeles take a 2-0 lead. Another error in the second led to one run, then four hits and two errors in the fourth put L. A. ahead, 6-0.

The Brewers, held to one hit for three innings, finally scored in the fourth. Scott Sharts, a first baseman from Simi Valley who will play collegiately for Miami (Fla.), hit a home run over the left-field fence.

The Brewers added two more runs in the inning on singles by designated-hitter Ryan McGuire of El Camino Real and Eldridge.

L. A. added a single run in the fifth without the benefit of a hit, parlaying three walks and a sacrifice fly into a 7-3 lead.

In the sixth, the Brewers almost came all the way back.

Eldridge started a two-out rally with a looping single down the right-field line. Joel Wolfe of Chatsworth followed with a single and Adam Schulhofer of Canoga Park hit a grounder to short that was mishandled to load the bases.

Rex McMackin of Chatsworth walked to bring Eldridge home and Sharts followed with a popup to the right side that was misplayed, allowing Wolfe and Schulhofer to score.

Bob Lofrano, the Chatsworth High coach who is managing the Brewers, instructed Sharts to purposely get caught in a rundown between first and second, hoping McMackin could steal home before Sharts was tagged. Los Angeles, however, handled the play perfectly and McMackin was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

L. A. pitcher Jessie Aldana struck out the side in the seventh to preserve the win.

Greg Nealon from Poly started and gave up six runs in three innings. The Brewers play twice today, at 4 p.m. against the Giants (players from the Bay Area) and at 7 against a team from Australia.