JetHawks Change Affiliation

The Lancaster JetHawks, an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners since their inception in 1995, will become an affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Lancaster’s management group, which is already affiliated with the Diamondbacks in Yakima, Wash., and Missoula, Mont., announced it will sign a player development contract with Arizona in October when its contract with the Mariners expires.

“We feel that we got the best major league affiliate in all of baseball,” said Matt Ellis, president of the JetHawks.

The Diamondbacks have affiliates in Tucson (triple-A Pacific Coast League), El Paso (double-A Texas League), South Bend (Class-A Midwest League), Yakima (short-season Northwest League) and Missoula (rookie Pioneer League).

The JetHawks will hold a free barbecue at 11:30 a.m. Monday at Lancaster Municipal Stadium to introduce the public to Diamondback management. Officials from the Diamondbacks and JetHawks will be there to answer questions.

* Bill Springman, a former Pepperdine player and Oak Park High coach, has been promoted to a coach with the Minnesota Twins.

Springman, the hitting instructor at triple-A Salt Lake, was moved up when Salt Lake concluded its season.

BASKETBALL

* Erin Buescher, a three-time Big West Conference women’s basketball player of the year for UC Santa Barbara, has transferred to The Master’s College.

Buescher averaged 17.3 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and two steals a game last season. She leaves UC Santa Barbara as the school’s second all-time leading scorer with 1,697 points.

“I know Erin’s decision to leave the program was based on strong religious convictions and her desire to attend a small Christian college,” Santa Barbara Athletic Director Gary Cunningham said Thursday in a statement released by the school.

The Master’s is an NAIA school with an enrollment of 900 students.

MOTORSPORTS

* Former Palmdale resident Ron Hornaday Jr.’s six-year association with Dale Earnhardt will end at the close of the season.

Earnhardt announced Wednesday that he was adding a third NASCAR Winston Cup team to his stable for 2001, with Michael Waltrip as driver. When Earnhardt could not secure sponsorship for Waltrip, he turned to NAPA Auto Parts, which dropped Hornaday in favor of Waltrip.

Hornaday races in the NASCAR Busch Grand National Division, one step below Winston Cup. He expects to get a new owner and sponsor shortly.