RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Billy Hamilton picked up right where he left off -- and so did the Bakersfield Blaze.

Hamilton, professional baseball's stolen bases leader, swiped two more bags Thursday night and the Bakersfield Blaze defeated the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 12-2 in the opening game of the second half of the California League season.

RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- Billy Hamilton picked up right where he left off -- and so did the Bakersfield Blaze.

Hamilton, professional baseball's stolen bases leader, swiped two more bags Thursday night and the Bakersfield Blaze defeated the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 12-2 in the opening game of the second half of the California League season.

Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley

STRIPER DERBY: The annual Bob's Bait month-long striper derby kicked off June 1. The entry fee is $1 per angler and you must register before you weigh in a fish. Only fresh fish can be weighed in and no weighing in of fish the same day as entering derby. The biggest striper weighed in during June will take the $100 prize, plus all the entry fee money from everyone entered. 157 anglers signed up, which means the pot is $257 at this point. The leader is Jose Rodriguez, Bakersfield, with an 8-14 caught out of the aqueduct at Taft Highway on Sunday.

Kern County, southern San Joaquin Valley

STRIPER DERBY: The annual Bob's Bait month-long striper derby kicked off June 1. The entry fee is $1 per angler and you must register before you weigh in a fish. Only fresh fish can be weighed in and no weighing in of fish the same day as entering derby. The biggest striper weighed in during June will take the $100 prize, plus all the entry fee money from everyone entered. 157 anglers signed up, which means the pot is $257 at this point. The leader is Jose Rodriguez, Bakersfield, with an 8-14 caught out of the aqueduct at Taft Highway on Sunday.

Los Angeles Dodgers great Maury Wills will not participate in today's third annual Roger Gunning Memorial Golf Tournament after being assigned to work with slumping Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon, according to event organizer George Culver.

Former Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager will take Wills' place in the event, added Culver, a former major league pitcher.

Los Angeles Dodgers great Maury Wills will not participate in today's third annual Roger Gunning Memorial Golf Tournament after being assigned to work with slumping Dodgers shortstop Dee Gordon, according to event organizer George Culver.

Former Dodgers catcher Steve Yeager will take Wills' place in the event, added Culver, a former major league pitcher.

Could motor sports be incorporated into the future of the Kern County Museum?

Quite possibly.

Could motor sports be incorporated into the future of the Kern County Museum?

Quite possibly.

Jimmy Watkins said it has been an extremely difficult road over the last two years that culminated in earning an Olympic berth in the men's sprint cycling event.

But the next month may be his biggest challenge yet, he said, and it goes beyond preparing for the London Games at the nearly 6,000-foot-elevation U.S. Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Jimmy Watkins said it has been an extremely difficult road over the last two years that culminated in earning an Olympic berth in the men's sprint cycling event.

But the next month may be his biggest challenge yet, he said, and it goes beyond preparing for the London Games at the nearly 6,000-foot-elevation U.S. Olympic training facility in Colorado Springs, Colo.

LOS ANGELES

It's not often a person makes a lawful living from stealing.

LOS ANGELES

It's not often a person makes a lawful living from stealing.

In one respect, when Bakersfield Christian hired Brian Dignan, it immediately acquired one of the most experienced high school basketball coaches in Kern County.

In another respect, it hired one of the least experienced.

In one respect, when Bakersfield Christian hired Brian Dignan, it immediately acquired one of the most experienced high school basketball coaches in Kern County.

In another respect, it hired one of the least experienced.

With 15 rookies on his roster at the end of last season, Condors coach Matt O'Dette vowed to bring back many of those players, and he's started with one of the best.

The Condors announced that leading scorer Tyler Helfrich has agreed to terms for the upcoming season.

With 15 rookies on his roster at the end of last season, Condors coach Matt O'Dette vowed to bring back many of those players, and he's started with one of the best.

The Condors announced that leading scorer Tyler Helfrich has agreed to terms for the upcoming season.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Billy Hamilton, the Bakersfield Blaze star who leads all of professional baseball with 80 stolen bases, was the victim of an armed robbery following Tuesday night's California League vs. Carolina League all-star game.

Hamilton, the No. 2 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds' organization, according to Baseball America , was not injured.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Billy Hamilton, the Bakersfield Blaze star who leads all of professional baseball with 80 stolen bases, was the victim of an armed robbery following Tuesday night's California League vs. Carolina League all-star game.

Hamilton, the No. 2 prospect in the Cincinnati Reds' organization, according to Baseball America , was not injured.

The NCAA will announce Wednesday that Cal State Bakersfield's men's basketball program will be ineligible for postseason play for the 2012-13 season because of poor academic performance.

But CSUB athletic director Jeff Konya said the academic performance rate score of 879 over a four-year period -- it must be 900 or above to ensure postseason eligibility and avoid additional sanctions from the NCAA -- is not accurate and the university is hopeful the NCAA will rescind the ban once it completes an audit of CSUB's information and analysis.

The NCAA will announce Wednesday that Cal State Bakersfield's men's basketball program will be ineligible for postseason play for the 2012-13 season because of poor academic performance.

But CSUB athletic director Jeff Konya said the academic performance rate score of 879 over a four-year period -- it must be 900 or above to ensure postseason eligibility and avoid additional sanctions from the NCAA -- is not accurate and the university is hopeful the NCAA will rescind the ban once it completes an audit of CSUB's information and analysis.