Joyce signs with Reds

SBCC standout pitcher Chris Joyce signed a professional contract with the Cincinnati Reds on Friday.Joyce, the Southern California Pitcher of the Year who went 6-0 with 97 strikeouts and a 1.54 earned-run average, was a 19th-round pick of the Reds in the Major League Baseball Draft.The former Dos Pueblos High star is headed to the Reds’ rookie ball team in Montana.Also signing on Friday was UCSB infielder Mark Haddow with the Chicago White Sox. He was picked in the 24th … [Read more...]

Valaika nabs base hit in MLB debut

Former UCSB baseball star Chris Valaika made his Major League debut for the Cincinnati Reds in San Francisco on Tuesday, going 1-for-2 with a single to center field on the very first pitch he saw from Giants pitcher Santiago Casilla.Valaika, a 2006 third-round draft pick by the Reds, was the organization's Minor League Player of the Year in 2008. Before being called up on Tuesday, the shortstop was hitting .305 at the Triple-A level in Louisville. He came in to pinch-hit for relief pitcher … [Read more...]

UCSB gets good news in that Hollands, Valaika will return

Valaikatab

Monday’s deadline for Major League Baseball teams to sign players came and went and it brought good news for the UCSB baseball team.   Left-handed pitcher Mario Hollands, an All-American two years ago, and infielder Matt Valaika, who led the club in batting average and slugging percentage last year, did not agree to contracts with the teams that selected them in the June amateur draft. Valaika was taken in the 20th round by the Cincinnati Reds while Hollands was a 24th round pick by the … [Read more...]

August 6-13

Former San Marcos Royal Alex Mack getting mentored by Browns pro-bowler  Shaun Rogers in first NFL training camp, READ MORESanta Barbara High grad Taylor Rochestie signs with Germany's Gottingen to play professional basketball, READ MOREEx-Gaucho Chris Valaika's path to the majors as top prospect in Reds organization slowed this season by broken hand, READ MORECollegeSoccerNews.com ranks Tim Vom Steeg's recruiting class for UCSB Men's Soccer team No. 4 in the country, READ MORE … [Read more...]