Tustin’s Baker Chooses USC

Derek Baker, a standout baseball player at Tustin High School, said he has chosen to attend USC.

Baker also visited Cal State Fullerton, Arizona State and Miami before deciding on USC. “It basically felt like the best place for me,” he said.

Baker hit .429 with five home runs and drove in 38 runs in helping Tustin to the Southern Section Division III title as a junior.

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Newport Harbor’s Wade Tift has signed a letter of intent to compete in track and field at UCLA, Newport Harbor assistant track coach Tony Ciarelli said Sunday.

Tift is one of the top shotputters in Orange County. He had a top mark of 59 feet 2 inches last season.

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Garden Grove’s Michol Murray signed a letter of intent to play basketball at San Diego next fall, Coach Marcia Foster said Sunday. Murray, a guard, averaged 15 points, 10 rebounds and five steals last season.