Meaux returns to Foresters
GLENDALE — The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level.
Jesse Meaux (Glendale High, 2007) UC Santa Barbara junior pitcher: Having already incurred a whirlwind summer, the recent Major League Baseball draftee returned to the Santa Barbara Foresters of the California Collegiate League.
Having debuted with the team in a June 12 appearance, Meaux then ventured east to the prestigious Cape Cod League as a temporary player and made two appearances.
He made his first return appearance with Santa Barbara on Saturday at Cal Lutheran against the Conejo Oaks and got more run support than he needed in a 14-1 win for the Foresters.
Meaux got the victory on the hill, pitching five impressive innings.
He allowed just one run, starting the game with four shutout innings. He finished having thrown just 67 pitches — 43 for strikes — and allowed four hits and no walks.
Heading into action on Tuesday, the Foresters were atop the CCL standings with a 13-5 record.
Meaux, over his two appearances, has a 1.29 earned-run average over seven innings, having allowed eight hits, one run and struck out two to no walks.
The former All-Area standout was drafted in June by the Philadelphia Phillies organization in the 44th round after a junior season at UC Santa Barbara in which he tallied an 8-3 mark with a 4.41 ERA and garnered All-Big West Conference honorable mention.
Michael Mendoza (Glendale Community College, 2009) Concordia University junior shortstop: Mendoza’s turning in an All-Star summer, as the former Vaqueros standout was a starter on Saturday for the South in the River Valley League North vs. South All-Star Game.
Unfortunately, Mendoza went 0 for two and the South lost, 11-6.
Mendoza is a shortstop for the Hawks, who entered Wednesday in second place in the four-team Iowa league with an 8-7 record.
Mendoza, who has played in all 15 games, is hitting .320 on the summer with 16 hits in 50 at-bats. He’s scored 12 runs and has four runs batted in.
Danny Casey (Glendale Community College, 2009) Concordia University junior third baseman: Casey’s caught on in the Missouri-Iowa-Nebraska-Kansas (M.I.N.K.) League with the Clarinda As.
The As were in third place in the North Division with a 12-9 record heading into Tuesday’s game against the Omaha Diamond Spirit.
In an 11-5 loss to the St. Joseph Mustangs on Monday, Casey got the start at third base and went one for four with a single and a walk, improving his average to .246.
Through 17 games played, Casey’s notched 14 hits in 57 at-bats with 10 runs and six RBIs.
At Concordia, Casey turned in a phenomenal season, as he was a member of the Golden State Athletic Conference Gold Glove Team and hit .346 with five home runs, 42 RBIs and scored 45 runs.
Chris Turner (Hoover High, 2007) Washington Adventist junior pitcher: The 6-foot-4 former Glendale Community College player has found his way up to the Great White North and is currently playing in the Alaska Baseball League for the AIA (Athletes in Action) Fire out of Fairbanks.
Turner last pitched on June 26, getting his only start of the summer thus far. He lasted just three innings and gave up three runs.
In five appearances, he’s tallied a 4.50 ERA over 12 innings of work.
AIA was 9-15 heading into action on Tuesday and in last place in the ABL standings.
Over a 9-22 season with Washington Adventist, which is loaded with local talent from Glendale college, Turner struggled to an 0-4 record with a 8.49 ERA. He led the team with 29 2/3 innings pitched and had 20 strikeouts to 11 walks.