Pepe Torres Leads Young Bulldogs

There’s up-and- coming Lompoc baseball talent you may want to keep an eye on.



The Central Coast Bulldogs, with a mix of Lompoc, Orcutt, and Goleta 14 year old players finished last year's fall season at .700, winning club league tournaments up and down the coast.



Some players to watch are Lompoc’s speedy center fielder PEDRO (Pepe) TORRES and pitcher THOMAS WHITE. The Bulldogs took the championship at their season opening tourney in Santa Barbara this past weekend where stocky Torres crushed one out of the park in game three, and then forced repeated pitcher changes in the championship game hitting back to back to back homers.



That’s right, four home runs in one day! When asked, manager JIM WHITE reported, "It was hot and Pepe was suffering from what looked like some kind of heat exhaustion. We sat him down, but when it came his time to bat, he asked to go back in. One carefully located pitch later and he was rounding the bases. We were shocked to see it happen at his next two at bats."



Also, getting plenty of attention is the lanky White, brother to Tiger Rookie Leaguer Chris White. Last year White finished the fall season with a 1.43 ERA and batted .327. He hopes for the same or better performance this year. In his season opening weekend he faced 39 and struck out 13.

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Speaking of home runs RYAN CHURCH boomed his 10th of the season tonight against the Phillies. He connected on a solo shot off rookie righthander Kyle Kendrick. The tenth round-tripper matches his career high for a season. Going 1-for-3 his average remains at .265…. In the Gulf Coast League CHRIS WHITE went 1-for-4 Tuesday. He has now hit safely in four of his last five games. He is batting .243.... KIRK FRIDRICH has made his choice. The former Lompoc Brave righthander will be playing baseball at Allan Hancock College next season.