Ineligible Players Won’t Be on Field

Agoura Oaks will play without two ineligible players after American Legion baseball officials notified the team that the balance of its season would be canceled because of insurance concerns if Scott Christensen and Dan Wasserman participated in another game.

Earlier this week the team was declared winless for using the players, yet Coach Lorry Gershon said he would continue to play the pair and forfeit any future victories earned with them in the lineup.

Agoura Oaks (1-21) defeated West Hills, 7-2, Saturday after the team voted to continue playing without Christensen and Wasserman. Agoura is appealing.

The players were disqualified June 26 for having used two transfer waivers in their Legion careers when organizational rules allow only one.

Area 6 co-Chairman Charlie Hatfield said Saturday he received a letter from Van Nuys West Coach Terry Stoller protesting the eligibility of West Hills players Ryan Soroka, Erik Johnson and Jonathan Higashi over residency issues.

In his letter, Stoller states that Soroka and Higashi, who recently completed their freshman years at Chaminade, the base school for West Hills, and Johnson, an incoming freshman from Moorpark, are not in compliance with state legion rule III-C.

Hatfield said the letter must first be ruled upon at a lower level by District 20 Commissioner Mel Swerdling, but added that the protest appears to have some merit.

Van Nuys East Coach Jody Breeden will have four of his own players at his disposal for the American Legion District 20 All-Star game today at 1:30 p.m. at Valley College.

Breeden, along with Jim Mills of Central Valley, will coach the East team, which includes Jorge Piedra, J.P. Prepuk, Ryan Stonerock, and Marc Jannone of Van Nuys East.

The West will be led by four players from Woodland Hills West--Jesus Gallo, Mike Conn, Nick Lombard and Conor Jackson.

Tyler Nelson has resigned after one season as Oak Park baseball coach, Eagle Athletic Director Dick Billingsley said Saturday.