Pinch-Hitters Land Herrera Westlake Post

After some of Ventura County’s most respected baseball figures went to bat for Rich Herrera, the former Oxnard College assistant coach took home a new job as the head of the Westlake High program.

Westlake Athletic Director Bob Fisher announced his decision Wednesday to install Herrera as the successor to Dennis Judd, who resigned at the end of the spring after three years on the job. Fisher selected Herrera from a pool of three finalists that included Royal assistant Brian Maloney and Judd’s assistant, Chuck Barrington.

Included among the Herrera supporters are Camarillo Coach Ken Wagner, former Oxnard College Coach Jerry White and former Hueneme Coach Terry Tackett, all of whom wrote letters of recommendation. Moorpark College Coach Ron Stillwell also gave Herrera high marks when contacted by Fisher on Tuesday.

“I talked to everyone I knew and got nothing but good reports,” Fisher said. “He’s well-prepared and people feel that he’s ready to run an outstanding program.”

Herrera, 24, has been associated with successful programs since pitching Rio Mesa to a Southern Section 1-A Division championship as a junior in 1981. He compiled a 16-4 record in two seasons that included two trips to the Southern Section championship game.

He pitched for two seasons at Oxnard College and returned to Rio Mesa as an assistant, helping the Spartans to back-to-back 3-A championships. For the past two seasons, he served as White’s assistant at Oxnard and coached Camarillo’s American Legion entry in District 16. Camarillo won the district title this summer and finished second last year.

Herrera will serve at Westlake as a walk-on while working toward his teaching credential at either Cal Lutheran or Cal State Northridge.