David Vidal had two of Bakersfield's 13 hits, including a three-run homer, to help the Blaze to an 8-2 victory Thursday over the Lancaster JetHawks at Sam Lynn Ballpark.

Winning pitcher Mike Dennhardt (3-2) allowed five hits and two earned runs in five innings. He struck out two. Beau Amaral had two hits and two runs, and Marquez Smith had two hits and two RBIs for the Blaze, which also had two hits apiece from Kyle Waldrop, Seth Mejias-Brean and Juan Perez.

Zach Ewing, The Californian's prep editor for the past five years, has been named sports editor, the company announced Thursday. Longtime hockey and motorsports writer Mike Griffith was named assistant sports editor.

Ewing, a native of Omaha, Neb., grew up in Albuquerque, N.M., and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. He covered Missouri football and baseball for the Columbia Missourian as an undergraduate.

Softball

Central Section playoffs

The Condors haven't spent much time on the ice this week.

Two games into the ECHL Western Conference finals, coach Troy Mann said rest is far more important.

TAFT -- All season long the Taft High softball team has overwhelmed opponents with the stellar pitching of Arizona Pilgrim and an offensive attack that averages more than 11 runs a game.

It's been an unstoppable combination and it was once again on Wednesday, as the top-seeded Wildcats easily defeated No. 5 Fresno-Washington Union 9-2 to earn a third-straight trip to the Central Section Division IV championship game.

CLOVIS -- The bases were loaded, the ball was bound for the left-field grass and the scoreboard was poised to light up on Stockdale's side.

Then -- from out of left field and into left field -- Buchanan shortstop Sienna Swain came into the picture, extending her body to all 66 of its inches to dive and rob Stockdale's Aryka Chavez of a hit. When Swain made the catch, she snatched back momentum, and eventually victory, for host Buchanan, 7-3, on Wednesday in a Central Section Division I softball playoff semifinal.

MESA, Ariz. -- Soloman Williams capped a 3-for-3 day with a game-ending RBI single down the right- field line with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning Wednesday to lift Cal State Bakersfield to a 6-5 win over Seattle.

It was the opening round of the Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament.

When teams capitalize on clutch hitting, it dramatically increases their winning chances.

When teams struggle in that department, it can be a long day.

Cal State Bakersfield should have a good idea of Seattle's strengths and weaknesses heading into today's Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament opener.

The same can be said for the Redhawks' knowledge of Bakersfield.

The ECHL announced on Tuesday that the Board of Governors has approved a request from the Las Vegas Wranglers for a voluntary suspension for the 2014-15 season.

The Wranglers were in informed in December that Boyd Gaming, the owner of the Orleans Arena where they had played the past 11 years, was not renewing their lease.

The ECHL announced on Tuesday that the Board of Governors has approved a request from the Las Vegas Wranglers for a voluntary suspension for the 2014-15 season.

The Wranglers were in informed in December that Boyd Gaming, the owner of the Orleans Arena where they had played the past 11 years, was not renewing their lease.

PORTLAND, Maine — Most fans only see the clubhouse when its covered in clear plastic during a playoff champagne celebration, or during a post-game interview with the player.

But what happens before, during and after the game when there are no celebratory moments or post-game interviews?

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Two third-period goals to tie the game had the cow-bell equipped crowd of 4,122 whipped into a frenzy on Saturday night at Sullivan Arena.

Under prompting of the public address announcer, the crowd stood and roared as an overtime period against the Condors was about to begin.

Ben Lively limited Stockton to a run on five hits in seven innings to lead the Bakersfield Blaze to a 9-5 victory over the Ports on Sunday in Stockton.

Lively (7-1) walked two and had four strikeouts.

ANCHORAGE -- Gary Steffes scored three minutes into overtime to life the Condors to a 3-2 victory over Alaska Saturday at Sullivan Arena.

The victory evened the ECHL Western Conference FInals at a game apiece with the next three games in Bakersfield, starting on Friday night.

SEATTLE -- Austin Davis and Hayden Carter combined to hold Seattle University to just four hits as Cal State Bakersfield rolled to a 10-0 win on Saturday to close out the Western Athletic Conference regular season.

The Roadrunners (24-31) are at the WAC baseball tournament beginning Wednesday.

SEATTLE -- Austin Davis and Hayden Carter combined to hold Seattle University to just four hits as Cal State Bakersfield rolled to a 10-0 win on Saturday to close out the Western Athletic Conference regular season.

The Roadrunners (24-31) are at the WAC baseball tournament beginning Wednesday.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Aces spent much of the third period on Friday night pressuring the Condors.

And it was a turnover with less than three minutes left that led to the winning goal as the Aces beat the Condors 2-1 in the opening game of the ECHL Western Conference Finals before 4,197 at Sullivan Arena.

SEATTLE -- Cal State Bakersfield's hopes of earning the No. 2 seed in next week's Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament were dashed Friday when Seattle posted an 8-5 win, the Roadrunners' fourth straight loss.

CSUB (23-31, 14-12 WAC) concludes its regular season today at noon with the series finale vs. Seattle.

SEATTLE -- Seattle University damaged Cal State Bakersfield's hopes of earning the No. 2 seed in next week's Western Athletic Conference baseball tournament with a 4-2 win on Thursday to open a regular season-ending three-game series.

The loss drops Bakersfield to 23-30 overall and 14-11 in the WAC.