Ventura County Baseball Stars to Be Showcased

The Ventura County all-star baseball games have lost a bit of their luster but still will showcase most of the top players in two games today at Moorpark College.

Two of the three players of the year selected by the Ventura County coaches will not play in the large-school game, which pits top seniors from the Marmonte League against the Channel League. The game will begin at 1:30 p.m.

Simi Valley outfielder Ryan Hankins (.483 average, nine homers) will play in the North-South all-star baseball series in Fresno this weekend.

Catcher Jeff Bennett (.356, seven homers) of Newbury Park will miss the game because of a family obligation, according to Westlake Coach Rich Herrera, coach of the Marmonte League all-stars.

The third player of the year, Jason Kimble (.481, four homers) of Buena, will try to give the Channel League its first victory in three years of the current alignment. Two years ago, the Channel League was no-hit in the first meeting.

Herrera will have the services of Newbury Park pitcher Ray Clinton (10-3, 1.41 ERA), Marmonte League pitcher of the year.

The first game will match seniors from the Tri-Valley League against the Frontier League at 10 a.m. Between games, players from both games will participate in a home run-hitting contest.