BASEBALL BEAT\PLAYER SPOTLIGHT.

Byline: Eric Sondheimer and Bill Schlotter

New, improved Persell: With a little exercise and some new eating habits, Montclair Prep third baseman Josh Persell lost 30 pounds in the offseason. He's now 6-foot-2 and weighs a fit 190 pounds. And it's done wonders for his baseball skills.

He's batting .500 (10 for 20) with three home runs. He's also quicker in the field and stronger at the plate. And he feels much better, too. "I just started eating healthy," he said. "I cut down on sweets, I cut down eating extra meals."

Of course, the weight loss has created some problems in the wardrobe department. "I still have the same clothes, and they're real big on me, so I have to buy new clothes," he said.

Montclair Prep coach Ken Smith is impressed with Persell's commitment to the sport. "He has worked real hard," he said.

OFFBEAT 

Ride 'em, cowboy: Royal third baseman Mike Devan is a real teen-age cowboy. He competes in high school rodeos on the weekends, traveling to Wyoming, Nevada, San Francisco and other parts of the country to ride horses and rope steers. "It's fun," he said.

Royal coach Dan Maye has to keep watch over Devan, especially when there's a rope nearby.

"My JV coach told me, 'You got to get rid of Devan. He's lassoed four JV kids and was pulling them through the mud,' " Maye said.

Knight surfer: Anybody trying to find Notre Dame's Brandon Richards needs to search only the nearest beach. If he's not playing baseball or attending class, he's probably surfing.

Last Friday, the Knights had no school, so he spent all day surfing at Broad Beach, then made it to Notre Dame's baseball game against St. Francis that night and contributed a suicide squeeze bunt. He never has any trouble getting a surfboard. His father owns Val's Surf & Sport in North Hollywood. And he's into snowboarding, too.

The stopper: It's doubtful there's a better relief stopper than Quartz Hill's 6-3 Bryan Garcia, who comes in throwing hard and keeps throwing hard.

"He's a kid I can hand the ball to and say, 'Win the game,' " Quartz Hill coach Dave Strabling said. "His job is, 'You have 17 pitches and get them out.' "

Closer II: One reason Burroughs might be able to challenge Hart for Foothill League supremacy is reliever J.K. Scott. The 6-foot-4 three-sport star can come in late and overpower batters. "I just keep the ball down," Scott said. In six innings, he has allowed one hit and no earned runs.

Standing-room only: Disappointed with his team's late-inning play, Valencia coach Dennis Mifflin has come up with a way to keep his Vikings on their toes.

"Until further notice, I'm removing the benches from the dugout," Mifflin said.

Under the new plan, only the pitcher and catcher are allowed to sit during Valencia at-bats. Mifflin also hoped to inspire better play by becoming more dedicated himself. He dropped his girls' basketball coaching duties last week.

"I told the team about it Friday," Mifflin said. "They seemed a little more responsive."

Scout alert: It won't take long for pro scouts to start making trips out to Lancaster to watch Antelope Valley junior Sean Douglass, who's 4-0 with an 0.82 ERA. He has grown to 6-foot-4 this season. "He's pitching like he's 7-6," coach Ed t'Sas said.

Big senior:Sylmar coach Gary Donatella never has to worry about first baseman Chris Ruley becoming intimidated by a pitcher. It's usually Ruley doing the intimidating. The 250-pound Ruley is off to a good senior season, with 12 hits in 23 at-bats (.522).

"He's hitting the ball hard," Donatella said.

Stop the presses: It's two weeks into the City Section conference season, and look who's in first place in the West Valley League. Not El Camino Real or Chatsworth. Try unsung Taft (2-1), which is loaded with underclassmen. Of course, the Toreadors haven't yet played the toughest teams in Northwest Valley Conference play, but coach Rich McKeon's club is making progress. Juniors Mike Turnette (.450 average), Jesse Chastain (.409) and Matt Aaronson (.400) are leading the way.

Tough opponents: Kennedy opens play in the Dole Invitational on April 8 against Carson City, Nev., in Orange County. A Cougars win would set up a potential second-round meeting with Southern Section Division I power Esperanza. The championship game of the prestigious 16-team tournament is April 11 at 7 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton.

Run at your own risk: Calabasas junior catcher Josh Goldfield has thrown out four runners trying to steal second in five attempts.

Future watch: Westhills Pony Baseball has produced some elite pitchers in the 1990s, players like Jeff Suppan, Keith Evans, Randy Wolf and Shaun Fishman. Now the league has another young pitcher to watch in 12-year-old Greg Achetel, who already is blowing fastballs past opposing hitters. The sixth-grader attends Hale Middle School in Woodland Hills and lives in the El Camino Real district. Watch for him in 1999.

Chaminade freshman Jeff Hynick threw a one-hit shutout last week for the Eagles' freshman team. Poly freshman third baseman Juan Flores, younger brother of varsity shortstop Alfredo Flores, is hitting over .400 for the frosh-sophomore team. Sophomore Marcus Alvarado, son of Kennedy coach Manny Alvarado, had three hits for the Cougars' JV team on Monday.

KEEPING TABS

Back to the minors: Former Alemany pitcher Joe Rosselli and former Chatsworth pitcher Derek Wallace were sent down to the minors by the Angels and Mets, respectively.

Quick look: Less than a year after signing out of Moorpark College, former Taft High outfielder Gabe Kapler played in a Detroit Tigers spring-training game Sunday against the Cleveland Indians. He grounded out.

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