As the night wore on at Bakersfield Speedway on Saturday, one thing became painfully apparent: nothing was going smoothly.

Caution flags and race-halting red flags ate up time and by the time the featured event -- a 25-lap IMCA Modified race -- took the to the track the 11-o'clock curfew was looming.

As the night wore on at Bakersfield Speedway on Saturday, one thing became painfully apparent: nothing was going smoothly.

Caution flags and race-halting red flags ate up time and by the time the featured event -- a 25-lap IMCA Modified race -- took the to the track the 11-o'clock curfew was looming.

The Modesto Nuts pounded out five doubles and came from behind to beat the Bakersfield Blaze, 5-4, snapping Bakersfield's six-game win streak and sending the team to its fifth straight Sunday afternoon defeat.

The Blaze had the lead in the second thanks to a 2-run homer by Niko Vasquez, and then again in the third when Billy Hamilton reached on a base hit to right, stole second -- his 62nd of the year -- and scored on Devin Lohman's seventh home run, a deep drive over the leftfield fence. Hamilton was 2-for-5 with a double to improve his average to .330.

The Modesto Nuts pounded out five doubles and came from behind to beat the Bakersfield Blaze, 5-4, snapping Bakersfield's six-game win streak and sending the team to its fifth straight Sunday afternoon defeat.

The Blaze had the lead in the second thanks to a 2-run homer by Niko Vasquez, and then again in the third when Billy Hamilton reached on a base hit to right, stole second -- his 62nd of the year -- and scored on Devin Lohman's seventh home run, a deep drive over the leftfield fence. Hamilton was 2-for-5 with a double to improve his average to .330.

The heat races went smoothly Saturday night at Bakersfield.

The features?

The heat races went smoothly Saturday night at Bakersfield.

The features?

Blaze starter Josh Smith threw six shutout innings Saturday night as Bakersfield beat the Modesto Nuts 3-2 at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Smith stuck out nine and allowed four hits and two walks.

The Blaze opened the game's scoring in the fifth inning when Tucker Barnhart tripled to right field, scoring Dominic D'Anna. Theo Bowe then singled to score Barnhart.

Blaze starter Josh Smith threw six shutout innings Saturday night as Bakersfield beat the Modesto Nuts 3-2 at Sam Lynn Ballpark. Smith stuck out nine and allowed four hits and two walks.

The Blaze opened the game's scoring in the fifth inning when Tucker Barnhart tripled to right field, scoring Dominic D'Anna. Theo Bowe then singled to score Barnhart.

CLOVIS -- Independence's girls 400 relay team didn't stand on the top of the podium, but they stood somewhere on it, and that had them running off the Veterans Memorial Stadium infield like champions.

Just more than 24 hours earlier, in fact, the Falcons weren't even sure they'd get to race at all. Independence was nearly disqualified before Friday's preliminaries when it tried to use Tyra Saunders as an alternate, thinking she was on the approved list.

CLOVIS -- Independence's girls 400 relay team didn't stand on the top of the podium, but they stood somewhere on it, and that had them running off the Veterans Memorial Stadium infield like champions.

Just more than 24 hours earlier, in fact, the Falcons weren't even sure they'd get to race at all. Independence was nearly disqualified before Friday's preliminaries when it tried to use Tyra Saunders as an alternate, thinking she was on the approved list.

One can imagine the excitement two Bakersfield teenagers felt when receiving an invitation to travel to Germany to compete in a volleyball tournament featuring some of that country's top youth players.

Sophie Hoover and Rachel Ralphs, accompanied by their parents, took the 15-plus hour flight, fought through jet lag and prepared to show their skills half-a-world away from home.

One can imagine the excitement two Bakersfield teenagers felt when receiving an invitation to travel to Germany to compete in a volleyball tournament featuring some of that country's top youth players.

Sophie Hoover and Rachel Ralphs, accompanied by their parents, took the 15-plus hour flight, fought through jet lag and prepared to show their skills half-a-world away from home.

CLOVIS -- It wasn't a traditional California gold rush, but a rush of different colors is almost as sweet.

Kern County athletes took home seven medals from the CIF State Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

CLOVIS -- It wasn't a traditional California gold rush, but a rush of different colors is almost as sweet.

Kern County athletes took home seven medals from the CIF State Track and Field Championships on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Baseball is full of irony. In the last three weeks, I've gotten my first win, loss, save and blown save with the Greenville Drive (Class-low A with the Boston Red Sox).

The win came in a game where I entered the ninth inning with a 2-run lead. I gave up two runs and got my first blown save of the year. We entered extra innings due to the tie game and in the bottom of the 10th inning. One of our best hitters came up big and hit a walk off single.

Baseball is full of irony. In the last three weeks, I've gotten my first win, loss, save and blown save with the Greenville Drive (Class-low A with the Boston Red Sox).

The win came in a game where I entered the ninth inning with a 2-run lead. I gave up two runs and got my first blown save of the year. We entered extra innings due to the tie game and in the bottom of the 10th inning. One of our best hitters came up big and hit a walk off single.

CLOVIS -- His day wasn't yet over, but Stockdale track and field coach Dave Lonsinger found himself a quiet and cool spot in Memorial Stadium -- not easy on a 103-degree Friday -- and took a moment to reflect.

"No complaints here," he said, midway through Day 1 of the CIF State Track and Field Championships. "We've had a great day."

CLOVIS -- His day wasn't yet over, but Stockdale track and field coach Dave Lonsinger found himself a quiet and cool spot in Memorial Stadium -- not easy on a 103-degree Friday -- and took a moment to reflect.

"No complaints here," he said, midway through Day 1 of the CIF State Track and Field Championships. "We've had a great day."

IRVINE -- The stoic stare Jamy Duran has worn during a record-setting era for the Kern Valley High softball team was still there Friday night following her final game in blue and gold. It just had some unfamiliar company.

The whites around her hazel eyes had a soft red hue, her cheeks were moist and lips pursed after a 5-2 loss to Redlands-Citrus Valley in the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship game.

IRVINE -- The stoic stare Jamy Duran has worn during a record-setting era for the Kern Valley High softball team was still there Friday night following her final game in blue and gold. It just had some unfamiliar company.

The whites around her hazel eyes had a soft red hue, her cheeks were moist and lips pursed after a 5-2 loss to Redlands-Citrus Valley in the CIF Southern Section Division VI championship game.