Rangers Defeat Portland to Win Tournament Title

The Valley Rangers completed their season over the weekend by winning the championship in the 12-team Grand Forks International baseball tournament in Grand Forks, British Columbia.

In the final Monday, the Rangers defeated Portland, 7-3, for their ninth consecutive victory and fifth in a row in the tournament.

With the Rangers leading, 5-3, designated-hitter Sean Luft hit a two-run homer in the sixth to break the game open.

Rangers’ left fielder J. P. Des Enfants, who batted .500, was selected most valuable player of the tournament.

Rangers’ right-hander Dave Bladow was named the most valuable pitcher and Luft made the all-tournament team.

After sitting out the past two seasons after transferring from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, former Nordhoff High standout Amy Svikhart made a strong impact for Oregon State over the weekend in her return to college volleyball.

Svikhart, a 5-foot-10 senior outside hitter, shook off her rustiness with 16 kills, 18 digs, four assists and two service aces in a pair of losses to nationally ranked Hawaii.

In 1986, Svikhart won All-American honors at Nordhoff and led the Rangers to a state Division II championship.

Rodney McCray of North Hollywood was recalled Tuesday by the Chicago White Sox along with six other players from Vancouver of the Pacific Coast League.

McCray, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound outfielder who played at Santa Monica and West L.A. colleges, batted .227 with no home runs, 13 runs batted in and 14 stolen bases with the Canadians.