Anteaters lose arm to Texas

Paul Strong, a left-handed pitcher who had signed to play baseball at UC Irvine, has agreed to terms with the Texas Rangers organization and will forego his collegiate eligibility, Anteaters Coach Mike Gillespie said Friday.

Gillespie also said pitcher Beau Wright, an incoming freshman out of Los Alamitos High, will require Tommy John surgery to reconstruct a ligament in his pitching elbow. Recovery from surgery will sideline Wright for the 2010 season.

Strong, out of Marina High, was a 17th-round pick of the Rangers (No. 514 overall) in the Major League Draft in June. He was 7-2 with a 1.58 earned-run average in 10 starts as a high school senior last spring. His five complete games included a no-hitter and he was ranked No. 63 among the nation’s top senior prospects by Rivals.com. Strong struck out 87 while allowing just 41 hits in 70 2/3 innings en route to first-team All-CIF Southern Section Division I honors in 2009. He walked 31.

Wright was an All-American in 2008, when he was named the Sunset League Pitcher of the Year and a first-team All-CIF Division I performer. As a senior, he was 2-2 with a 3.23 ERA. He struck out 65 and allowed 40 hits in 43 1/3 innings in 2009.

Gillespie said June draftees Casey Stevenson, Brian Hernandez and Drew Hillman would not sign.

He also said incoming freshman pitcher Kyle Hooper, a 28th-round pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates in June, turned down a contract offer and was in line to play for the Anteaters.

Gillespie said he and his staff are holding their breath about whether All-American pitcher Danny Bibona, the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year as a junior, will get another late offer from the St. Louis Cardinals before the Monday deadline of 9 p.m.

Bibona was taken in the 16th round (No. 489 overall) by the Cardinals.

— Barry Faulkner

Sailors faring well

KAUAI, Hawaii — The Newport Harbor High girls’ volleyball team won three matches Friday and was one win away from advancing to the eight-team championship round with one match to play Friday night.

The Tars beat St. Bonaventure of Ventura, 25-10, 22-25, 15-6, beat Mililani of Hawaii, 25-14, 25-15, and beat Pearl City of Hawaii, 25-15, 25-15.

— From staff reports

Baldoni watches loss

KHANTY-MANSIYSK, Russia — Former Corona del Mar High standout girls’ water polo goalie Kate Baldoni sat on the bench as Team USA lost to the Netherlands, 12-11, in overtime Friday in a sudden-death penalty shootout in the semifinals of the FINA Junior World Championships.

— From staff reports