St. Francis Discharges Yakel as Baseball Coach

John Yakel, St. Francis High baseball coach and athletic director, has been fired, Father Lawrence Caruso, the principal, said Wednesday.

Caruso would not elaborate on the reasons other than saying it was an administrative decision. Caruso said Yakel’s status as a teacher has not been determined.

Yakel, who led the Golden Knights to an 8-15 record in his third season as baseball coach, could not be reached for comment.

St. Francis’ year was marred by a 1-11 start and the loss of three players, including starting shortstop Rudy Martinez, who quit during the season. The Golden Knights rallied to finish 6-6 in the Del Rey League, good for third place and a berth in the Southern Section Division III playoffs.

Yakel is the second major-sport coach at St. Francis to be fired this season. Football Coach Andy Boynton was fired and replaced by Bill Redell.

Caruso said a new athletic director has been chosen, but he did not release the name.

Baseball

Cal State Northridge’s top recruit, catcher Brett Callan from San Diego Mesa College, has signed with the Houston Astros for $40,000.

Callan was recruited by Northridge baseball Coach Bill Kernen as the replacement to four-year starter Mike Sims, who signed with the Florida Marlins. Kernen said he was not surprised by Callan’s signing.

The loss of Callan, who was drafted in the ninth round, focuses attention on Pierce College transfer Josh Smaler, who platooned at catcher for the Brahmas last season.

“Smaler can catch, but he didn’t do it full time for Pierce,” Kernen said. “We’ll have to try to determine if he can be the everyday guy.”

The 17th Bernie Milligan all-star baseball game is scheduled for June 19 at 3:30 p.m. at Cal State Northridge. Simi Valley’s Mike Scyphers and El Camino Real’s Mike Maio will coach the West team; Montclair Prep’s Walt Steele and Sylmar’s Gary Donatella will coach the East.

Each team will have 21 top seniors from five divisions. The West squad will be led by pitchers Jeff Suppan (Crespi), Keith Evans (Crespi), Trevor Leppard (Simi Valley) and Jorge Dorado (Monroe). The East will feature catcher Nate Dishington (Hoover) and second baseman Brad Fullmer (Montclair Prep).

Tighe Curran, a left-handed pitcher from Ventura College and Newbury Park High, has signed with the St. Louis Cardinals for an undisclosed bonus. Curran was drafted in the 47th round by the Cardinals last week. He will report to Arizona on Sunday and be assigned to a minor league team from there.

Shortstop Dan Cey and left-handed pitcher/outfielder Randy Wolf, who led El Camino Real High to the City Section 4-A Division title last week, have been selected co-most valuable players of the West Valley League.

Two Ventura County All-Star baseball games are scheduled for Saturday at Ventura College.

In the first game at 10 a.m., the Tri-Valley League’s top senior players will face their counterparts from the Frontier League.

At 3 p.m., Channel League all-stars will play a Marmonte League all-star team.

Ventura College Coach Gary Anglin will be holding a baseball camp for players ages 7 to 15 in four separate, weeklong sessions, beginning June 21.

Information: 805-654-6459 or 986-5855, ext. 6459.

Track & Field

Bryan Krill of Moorpark College, the school record-holder in the men’s 400 meters, has signed a letter of intent with USC.

Krill, a 1991 graduate of Thousand Oaks High, placed fifth in the 400 in this year’s Southern California track and field championships. He has personal bests of 47.1 seconds in the 400 and 21.3 in the 200.

Softball

The San Fernando Valley All-Star softball game will be played Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at Cal State Northridge, featuring the region’s best senior players.

Fillmore’s Jamie Arundell and La Reina’s Jennifer Baltruzak were named the Tri-Valley League’s co-most valuable players.

Miscellany

Amy Ward, a soccer player from Cal Lutheran, has been selected to the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII College Division at-large team. Ward scored six goals and had seven assists for Cal Lutheran’s Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions. A junior, Ward has a 3.77 grade-point average.