Baseball Clinic a Hit With Group Home : Sports: Casa Pacifica youths field tips in Thousand Oaks from a school’s varsity team. Day ends with smiles on both sides.

The sullen 15-year-old had never played organized baseball, and his parents had never played catch with him when he was a child.

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Nevertheless, the youth stepped into the batter’s box of the varsity baseball diamond at Thousand Oaks High School on Saturday and smacked a towering home run.

In his blue denim carpenter’s pants and canvas tennis shoes, the batter lumbered across home plate and was greeted by cheering members of the high school’s varsity baseball team.

The slugger was one of about 25 abused or neglected children from Casa Pacifica, a group home in Camarillo, who came to Thousand Oaks for a baseball clinic and game hosted by the high school team.

Before the Casa Pacifica children arrived on campus, the 40 student athletes did not really know what to expect.

“Are there going to be girls too?” one student athlete wondered.

When the Casa Pacifica residents finally arrived, the baseball team members unabashedly stared while the Casa Pacifica residents--girls included--gobbled doughnuts.

Coach Jim Hansen then delivered a short, philosophical speech on the character-building virtues of baseball.

“You learn how to be a team, how to play and have a good time, how to be with other people,” Hansen told the youths, his team gathered about, kneeling behind him in full uniform as if posed for a yearbook picture.

As the youths paired off and started throwing and catching baseballs, the initial awkwardness faded. Post-mortems of Friday night’s social activities and discussions of the most fashionable length to wear baseball pants gave way to serious instruction.

Some of the Casa Pacifica residents could play.

“He’s got a gun,” junior outfielder Justin Saltzman said, describing the vigorous throwing arm of a lanky Simi Valley 15-year-old who said he was in Casa Pacifica because of “family problems.” Casa Pacifica officials asked that the names of the youths be withheld because they are in protective custody.

Saltzman was coaching the youth on his catching technique. “You don’t have to jab at the ball to catch it. Just hold the glove,” he said.

Some of the Casa Pacifica residents were just discovering their talents on the field.

“Don’t throw it hard at me,” one warned. “Just don’t throw it hard.”

Then the hardball landed in her glove. “Oh, I caught it,” she said, looking down at the ball in surprise.

After a series of fielding and batting drills that Hansen characterized as a “three-ring circus,” the players gathered for a game.

The rules were a bit unconventional. Thirty-six players crowded the field, there were no innings, and no one kept score. But the visitors from Casa Pacifica--who ranged in age from 9 to about 15--each took a turn a bat, impressing the home team.

“He’s a natural,” Saltzman crowed about his student, who cracked a triple to center field.

Many of the high school students and the Casa Pacifica residents said they were having a good time.

“It’s kind of fun to teach for once, instead of always getting lectured,” said Eric Soliz, a senior first baseman.

Saltzman’s 15-year-old friend said hitting the triple felt great. “I was stoked,” he said.

At day’s end, the home team presented the visitors with T-shirts, baseball caps, tote bags and baseballs autographed by Thousand Oaks resident and Detroit Tigers’ Manager Sparky Anderson.

The gifts were donated by the baseball team’s booster club, which received money for the event from a trust left by the late Simon Switzar, a local artist, and other donors.

But some of the ballplayers gave even more, surrendering their green satin varsity warm-up jackets to the visiting female players.

“I saw some smiling faces on both sides,” said Joe Smith, the booster club member who organized the event. “This was wonderful.”