Billy Hamilton is supposed to create havoc with his legs this season for the Blaze. He gave Bakersfield an added bonus with his bat on opening night Thursday.

Before 1,559 at Sam Lynn Ballpark, the Blaze downed the Visalia Rawhide 3-1 behind Hamilton's offense and solid efforts by four pitchers.

Billy Hamilton is supposed to create havoc with his legs this season for the Blaze. He gave Bakersfield an added bonus with his bat on opening night Thursday.

Before 1,559 at Sam Lynn Ballpark, the Blaze downed the Visalia Rawhide 3-1 behind Hamilton's offense and solid efforts by four pitchers.

Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley

LAKE ISABELLA: The fish are showing in very good numbers around much of the lake on floating dough baits, Power Mice Tails and inflated nightcrawlers. The catfish bite has also picked up with most of the action in the bays in 10 to 15 feet of water on clams and cut baits. Few reports on crappie, and the bass and bluegill action is just starting to turn around.

Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley

LAKE ISABELLA: The fish are showing in very good numbers around much of the lake on floating dough baits, Power Mice Tails and inflated nightcrawlers. The catfish bite has also picked up with most of the action in the bays in 10 to 15 feet of water on clams and cut baits. Few reports on crappie, and the bass and bluegill action is just starting to turn around.

Three anglers landed tagged trout worth $10,000 apiece during the 23rd Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby held Saturday through Monday. There were a total of 11 tagged trout worth $10,000 (or more), and another 989 tagged rainbows worth cash from $50 to $1,000 planted for this event. Anglers landed 153 of the 1,000 tagged fish over the three days of the derby.

Overall, there were 6,294 entries, and the total payout was $49,800, the second highest in the 23 years of the event. The highest total was in 2010 when six of 10 of the $10,000 tags were landed and the total payout was $75,510.

Three anglers landed tagged trout worth $10,000 apiece during the 23rd Annual Isabella Lake Fishing Derby held Saturday through Monday. There were a total of 11 tagged trout worth $10,000 (or more), and another 989 tagged rainbows worth cash from $50 to $1,000 planted for this event. Anglers landed 153 of the 1,000 tagged fish over the three days of the derby.

Overall, there were 6,294 entries, and the total payout was $49,800, the second highest in the 23 years of the event. The highest total was in 2010 when six of 10 of the $10,000 tags were landed and the total payout was $75,510.

Baseball

Selma Tournament

Baseball

Selma Tournament

SANTA CLARITA -- Kimmie Lockhart pitched a four-hitter with five strikeouts, and Adriana Correira ripped a two-run homer to lead College of the Canyons to a 4-1 victory Thursday over Bakersfield College in a showdown between the Western State Conference's top two softball teams.

Canyons (29-2-1) improved to 8-2 in the WSC. BC 22-8, 7-4. The Renegades' Julie Estep struck out six and walked one. BC hosts Glendale in a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

SANTA CLARITA -- Kimmie Lockhart pitched a four-hitter with five strikeouts, and Adriana Correira ripped a two-run homer to lead College of the Canyons to a 4-1 victory Thursday over Bakersfield College in a showdown between the Western State Conference's top two softball teams.

Canyons (29-2-1) improved to 8-2 in the WSC. BC 22-8, 7-4. The Renegades' Julie Estep struck out six and walked one. BC hosts Glendale in a doubleheader at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Johnny Carter, the Ridgeview alumnus who won the CIF state triple jump championship as a freshman in 2008, is back in the track and field spotlight.

Carter, now a freshman at Academy of Art University in San Francisco who also competes for the U Knight Track Club, set a new personal record with a triple jump of 15.71 meters (51 feet, 6 inches) last month at the Aggie Open in Davis.

Johnny Carter, the Ridgeview alumnus who won the CIF state triple jump championship as a freshman in 2008, is back in the track and field spotlight.

Carter, now a freshman at Academy of Art University in San Francisco who also competes for the U Knight Track Club, set a new personal record with a triple jump of 15.71 meters (51 feet, 6 inches) last month at the Aggie Open in Davis.

REEDLEY -- Brad Lindsley and Darion Nunn combined on a five-hit shutout to lead Bakersfield College to a 9-0 win over Reedley College at the Sequoias baseball tournament Wednesday.

Lindsley (3-3) allowed four hits in six innings. Nunn finished up with three innings to earn his first save of the season.

REEDLEY -- Brad Lindsley and Darion Nunn combined on a five-hit shutout to lead Bakersfield College to a 9-0 win over Reedley College at the Sequoias baseball tournament Wednesday.

Lindsley (3-3) allowed four hits in six innings. Nunn finished up with three innings to earn his first save of the season.

Ownership and a long overdue facelift to Sam Lynn Ballpark won't be the only changes for the Bakersfield Blaze when the club opens its 71st season tonight against the Visalia Rawhide.

There will also be plenty of new faces up and down the roster as the Blaze return just four players from 2011 to begin their second season as the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

Ownership and a long overdue facelift to Sam Lynn Ballpark won't be the only changes for the Bakersfield Blaze when the club opens its 71st season tonight against the Visalia Rawhide.

There will also be plenty of new faces up and down the roster as the Blaze return just four players from 2011 to begin their second season as the Class-A Advanced affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds.

Having won the Bay Cities Racing Association Dirt Midget championship last season, Bakersfield's Shannon McQueen is focused on winning the USAC Western States Midget championship this season.

Saturday night she'll be competing at Bakersfield Speedway for the first time since 2010 as the USAC Series returns to the third-mile clay oval.

Having won the Bay Cities Racing Association Dirt Midget championship last season, Bakersfield's Shannon McQueen is focused on winning the USAC Western States Midget championship this season.

Saturday night she'll be competing at Bakersfield Speedway for the first time since 2010 as the USAC Series returns to the third-mile clay oval.

VISALIA -- Justin Kelly improved to 4-0 with a complete-game four-hitter to lead Bakersfield College past College of the Sequoias 11-2 Tuesday.

The Renegades (18-8), ranked No. 8 in Southern California, had 16 hits and scored five runs in both the first and eighth innings.

VISALIA -- Justin Kelly improved to 4-0 with a complete-game four-hitter to lead Bakersfield College past College of the Sequoias 11-2 Tuesday.

The Renegades (18-8), ranked No. 8 in Southern California, had 16 hits and scored five runs in both the first and eighth innings.