Area Players at Home in Cal League

Players from Valley or Ventura County schools accounted for game-winning hits in three of the California League’s five games on opening night, and a local pitcher picked up a victory.

Bakersfield’s Mike Glendenning (Pierce College, Crespi) had four hits, including the winner in the bottom of the 10th inning of the Blaze’s 4-3 victory over Modesto.

Rancho Cucamonga’s Mike Mitchell (Rio Mesa) hit a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth to finish the Quakes’ 9-8 win over San Jose. Mitchell, who was picked up by the San Diego Padres after the New York Yankees determined his surgically reconstructed right shoulder would prevent him from having a successful career, also hit a two-run home run. Quake reliever Craig Clayton (Cal State Northridge) picked up the victory.

And in Visalia, Oaks’ second baseman Dave Newhan (Pepperdine) singled in the bottom of the 11th to provide the final of three runs in a rally that gave Visalia a 6-5 victory over Stockton.

*

Robert Fick made himself a hometown favorite on opening night before a crowd of nearly 10,000 in Grand Rapids, Mich. The former Cal State Northridge All-American catcher homered in his first at-bat and the run held up in Grand Rapids’ 1-0 victory over Wisconsin. Fick, a fifth-round draft choice of the Detroit Tigers last June, is beginning his first full pro season in the Class-A Midwest League.

JetHawks

Although JetHawk outfielder Yuni Kim played amateur baseball in Japan before signing with the Mariners, Kim is actually Korean. . . . When the Stockton Ports come to Lancaster for a two-game series starting today, their lineup will include outfielder Chad Green, a star of the 1996 Olympic team and first-round pick of the Milwaukee Brewers. He was an Olympic teammate of High Desert first baseman Travis Lee. . . . Right-hander Jeff Farnsworth, expected to be the JetHawks’ top pitcher, has a stomach virus that is keeping him at extended spring training in Arizona. “He’s going to miss quite a bit,” pitching Coach Jim Slaton said.

*

Three former JetHawks got off to good starts this week. Outfielder Jose Cruz Jr., a late cut from the Seattle Mariners’ roster, opened his season at triple-A Tacoma with five hits in his first seven at-bats. Right-hander Ken Cloude gave up one run in seven innings, striking out eight and walking none, for double-A Memphis on Thursday. Outfielder Jesus Marquez, now in the Detroit Tiger system, went three for six with a triple for double-A Jacksonville, Fla., also on Thursday.

Today’s Game:

Stockton (Wagner Arias, 0-0, 0.00) at JetHawks (Eric Morgan, 0-0, 0.00), 2 p.m.