AREA CODE GAMES: KOZLOWSKI MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF.

Byline: Heather Gripp Staff Writer

Jesse Kozlowski did a better job of impressing scouts than they did of remembering how to say his name. Two days after the Westlake right-hander's only appearance in the Area Code Games, scouts continued to mention his name - or at least tried to.

``That pitcher from Westlake - Jesse, how do you say his last name? . . . He looks pretty good,'' said a scout from the Giants. ``When he puts some weight on he's going to be even tougher.''

Kozlowski pitched two hitless innings for the Rangers, retiring the side in order once, in Thursday's game against the Mariners. The only thing he was disappointed about was giving up three walks.

With his hectic summer baseball schedule - which often saw him balancing time between three or more teams at once - slowing down, Kozlowski intends to focus on weight training in preparation for a senior season that could have a lot more people wanting to know his name.

When it came to mispronounced names, Kozlowski's wasn't the most-mangled. That honor went to his Westlake teammates Jeff Dragicevich and Tyler Adamczyk, who had the public-address announcer trying a variety of pronunciations during their ample playing time with the 818 team.

Let's keep playing: Joey Hamer didn't want the Area Code Games to end.

``I wish we had more games,'' the Newbury Park catcher said. ``I'd like to play some more.

``I'm pretty happy with how I did. I felt like I could have hit anyone.''

He started the 818 team's opening game against the Dodgers and appeared in others as a designated hitter and defensive replacement at catcher. His position was one of the most difficult to play at the Games since he was working with unfamiliar pitchers and they rarely went more than two innings at a time.''

``It's different,'' Hamer said. ``It is kind of hard. Each time it's a different kid, different movement.''

Hamer was used to nonstop baseball this summer and now it's over.

After earning All-Marmonte League honors as a junior with the Panthers, Hamer was invited to the Team One national showcase in Florida in June. In July, he was in Arizona for the Hot Shot Classic. There have also been several games with the Tigers' scout team.

``I've played quite a bit of baseball this summer,'' Hamer said. ``After Area Codes, I'm going to take some time off, go on vacation with my family.''

Something else on his mind: Hamer wore the initials M.E. on his hat in honor of Panthers teammate Matt Emole. Emole is the Newbury Park teen-ager paralyzed in a car accident Aug. 4.

``I felt, what better way to get people to think of him,'' Hamer said. ``Our thoughts and prayers are with him.''

Emole, a senior-to-be, played football and was an outfielder for the Panthers.

Odd endings: The Area Code Games' focus on players' skills instead of scores prompted changes from the standard rules. One deviation was the use of two designated hitters, for a total of 10 batters in each lineup.

Another difference was the way some games ended. Games were to go seven innings or two hours, whichever came first, in order to keep each day's multiple-game schedule on track.

That meant when the Dodgers gave up a run in the bottom of the seventh inning Thursday, their game against the Pirates 900 team ended in a 2-2 tie. However, the next game, between the 818 team and the Angels, went an extra half-inning, apparently to allow the Angels to use another pitcher. The Angels did not bat in the bottom half of the inning, even though they were losing.

Home teams regularly batted in the bottom of the final inning even if they were ahead. When the Dodgers extended their lead to 9-0 against the Rangers in the seventh inning of Friday's game, the Rangers pitcher decided he'd had enough and opted to end the game after just one out.