Linebacker Benefield Impressive in CFL Game

Daved Benefield, a former Cal State Northridge linebacker, helped the Ottawa Rough Riders to a 20-9 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in a Canadian Football League game in Ottawa on Thursday night.

Making his debut as a starter after being called up from the practice squad, Benefield recorded two sacks and was awarded a game ball.

Benefield started for Northridge at outside linebacker in 1988 and ’89 after transferring from Glendale College.

Evan Howland, a pitcher from El Camino Real High, will attend Cal State Northridge and play baseball as a walk-on, CSUN Coach Bill Kernen said Friday.

Howland, a right-hander, was 4-1 with a 3.05 earned-run average last season for El Camino Real.

Kernen said Brian Dawson, a right-handed pitcher from San Gorgonio High, also agreed to play as a walk-on. Dawson also played football and basketball at San Gorgonio.

Elizabeth Barnes had three hits and teammate Lindsay Parker added two, but Glendale Independence lost to Georgetown, Mich., 5-2, Friday in a semifinal of the Senior League Softball World Series (ages 13-15) in Kalamazoo, Mich.

With the loss Glendale (14-4) was eliminated from the tournament.

Jamie Detanna’s run-scoring single gave Glendale a 1-0 lead in the third inning, but Georgetown countered with two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.

Glendale added a run in the sixth when Hope Robertshaw singled and later scored on a fielding error.

Tara Allender (4-2) took the loss for Glendale. She allowed five hits, gave up five runs (three earned), walked six batters and struck out four.

The Open Heart beach volleyball tournament will be held at San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura on Aug. 22-23.

Proceeds from the event will go to the Ventura County chapter of the American Heart Assn.

Information: 805-653-5331.

Cruz Pedregon of Moorpark raced a quarter-mile in a track-record 5.169 seconds during qualifying in the funny car division of the 11th National Hot Rod Assn. Champion Auto Stores Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn.