VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : DIGEST : CROSS-COUNTRY

* Marlon Rodriguez, an assistant at Taft High, has been appointed interim cross-country coach in the absence of Mel Hein.

Hein, 58, underwent emergency brain surgery at West Hills Hospital Medical Center on Aug. 30 after suffering an aneurysm at his Topanga home.

Jim Woodard, athletic director at Taft, said Hein isn’t expected to return to his coaching duties until at least November.

BASEBALL

* Matt Harrington of Palmdale High defeated a Japanese high school all-star team twice during the recent Goodwill Series, winning once in Sommerset, N.J., and again at Blair Field in Long Beach.

American teams were chosen from the East and West from the Area Code Games last month to face Japanese and Latin teams.

Harrington was the only player on both American teams.

Harrington pitched seven innings in a 5-3 victory at Long Beach, allowing two runs. He went five innings in a 7-5 victory in New Jersey.

“Matt did as well as a pitcher possibly could do,” said Rob Williams, coach of the American team. “He had great command and mixed his pitches.”

Jamie Shields of Hart pitched three shutout innings in a 17-4 victory over the Latin team at Long Beach.

Third baseman Conor Jackson of El Camino Real had seven hits in 15 at-bats and Jason Kubel of Highland and catcher Mike Nickeas of Westlake contributed several hits, Williams said.

GOLF

* Tim Hogarth of Chatsworth has helped the California team into a tie for 10th place heading into the final round today of the USGA Men’s State Team Championship on the Gold Course at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va.

Hogarth, the California Amateur champion, is at 70-73--143, with John Pate of Santa Barbara, the Southern California Amateur champion, at 74-73--147 and Darryl Donovan, the Northern California champion, at 72-74--146.

The two best of three scores count in the team standings. California is at 142-146--288, eight strokes behind pace-setter Texas.

BASKETBALL

* The American Roundball Corp. instructional academy for boys and girls in grades 1-8 is holding registration at 9 a.m. Saturday and noon Sunday at North Hollywood High and at 1 p.m. Saturday at Pierce College.

Tryouts for the ARC traveling teams for boys and girls will be held Sunday at North Hollywood, age 11 at 1 p.m., 12 at 2 p.m., 13 at 3 p.m. and 14 at 4 p.m.

Information: (818) 995-3761.

AUTO RACING

* Sean Woodside of Saugus increased his lead over Brandon Ash of Umpqua, Ore., in the NASCAR Winston West points standings Monday by finishing sixth in the Bank One 250 at Rocky Mountain Raceways near Salt Lake City.

Bill Sedgwick of Acton, who was presented with a check for $10,000 before the race for collecting the most points in the sixth through 10th races, followed Woodside across the finish line and remained seventh in the points standings.